Mental health is a vital part of overall health. But traditional mental health care reaches only a fraction of the millions who could benefit. So researchers at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) are finding practical, patient-centered ways to reach people affected by conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety.
“Many of the ideas that are changing American mental health care were first tested here at Kaiser Permanente Washington,” says Gregory Simon MD, MPH, senior investigator at KPWHRI and a Kaiser Permanente Washington psychiatrist. “We’re now working to spread those innovations to large health systems across the country.”
Innovative patient-centered mental health programs developed at KPWHRI include:
“We are partnering with health care leaders at Kaiser Permanente Washington and other health systems to test innovative programs and implement treatments that work,” Dr. Simon says. “We want ‘learning health care system’ to be more than a slogan.”
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Penfold RB, Thompson EE, Hilt RJ, Kelleher KJ, Schwartz N, Beck A, Clarke G, Ralston JD, Hartzler AL, Coley RY, Akosile M, Vitiello B, Simon GE. Safer Use of Antipsychotics in Youth (SUAY) pragmatic trial protocol. Contemp Clin Trials. 2020 Oct 19:106184. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.106184. Online ahead of print. PubMed
Xi W, Banerjee S, Penfold RB, Simon GE, Alexopoulos GS, Pathak J. Healthcare utilization among patients with psychiatric hospitalization admitted through the emergency department (ED): a claims-based study. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2020 Oct 7;67:92-99. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2020.10.001. PubMed
![]() Gregory E. Simon, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Ben Balderson, PhDResearch Associate |
![]() Katharine A. Bradley, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() David C. Grossman, MD, MPHSenior Investigator, KPWHRI; National Senior Medical Director for Community Health at Kaiser Permanente; Physician, Pediatrics, Washington Permanente Medical Group |
![]() Paula Lozano, MD, MPHSenior Investigator, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute; |
![]() Jennifer B. McClure, PhDDirector of Research, Faculty, & Development; Senior Investigator |
![]() Robert Penfold, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Karen J. Sherman, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Susan M. Shortreed, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Dori E. Rosenberg, PhD, MPHAssociate Investigator |
![]() Gwen Lapham, PhD, MPH, MSWAssistant Investigator |
![]() Jennifer F. Bobb, PhDAssociate Investigator |
![]() Cara C. Lewis, PhD, HSPPAssociate Investigator |
![]() Amy K. Lee, MPHResearch Associate |
![]() Joseph E. Glass, PhD, MSWAssociate Investigator |
![]() Kai Yeung, PharmD, PhDAssistant Investigator |
![]() Julie E. Richards, PhD, MPHResearch Associate II |
![]() Paige D. Wartko, PhD, MPHResearch Associate |
![]() Lynn DeBar, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Yates Coley, PhDAssistant Investigator |
![]() David S. Carrell, PhDAssociate Investigator |
![]() Mary A. Akosile, MS, MPHBiostatistician I |
![]() Eric Johnson, MSBiostatistician II |
![]() Rod L. Walker, MSBiostatistician III |
![]() Robert D. Wellman, MSBiostatistician III |
![]() Maricela Cruz,Assistant Investigator |
Paul Crane, MD, MPH
Professor, Internal Medicine
University of Washington
Patrick Heagerty, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Biostatistics
University of Washington
Laura P. Richardson, MD, MPH
Adolescent Medicine
Seattle Children's Hospital
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
University of Washington
Noah R. Simon, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biostatistics
University of Washington
Principal Investigator, Therapeutics Development
Seattle Children’s Research Institute
Emily Williams, PhD, MPH
Investigator
Health Services Research & Development
VA Puget Sound Health Care System