Supplements to State Mental Health Data Infrastructure Grants for Quality Improvement

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announces the availability of funds to expand/enhance grant activities funded under the State Mental Health Data Infrastructure Grants for Quality Improvement. The purpose of this program supplement is to support mental health prevalence estimation and associations found in State populations. The effort is part of the SAMHSA/CDC Intra-Agency Agreement in which this year, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) module will be added to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) in selected states. This DIG supplement effort builds on an Intra-agency Agreement between SAMHSA and the Centers for Disease Control which supports prevalence estimation of mental health status in State populations in the annual implementation of the BRFSS. The PHQ-8 is a standardized and validated module which has been used in both clinical and population based settings. In addition to questions on current depressive symptoms, questions on lifetime diagnosis of depression and lifetime diagnoses of anxiety are included in the module. Expected outcomes of the findings can inform as to estimates in the population in selected states in regard to depression, lifetime diagnoses and other associations. The supplement will support 1) State mental health agency coordination with respective State public health agency contacts who implement the BRFSS, 2) provision of State data analyses, including prevalence estimates of depression and anxiety, associations to socio-demographics characteristics and other factors, including behavioral risk factors and chronic disease, and 3) dissemination of findings to State leaders and stakeholders to inform planning. As there has been previous implementation of the module in this program since 2006, trend analyses can also inform as to changes over a five year period.The Mental Health Data Infrastructure Grant presently includes State prevalence estimates and need for mental health services as a goal within the Uniform Reporting System data collection effort. This supplement will provide much needed information on prevalence estimates that can assist the States in areas of health and mental health integration efforts. Information related to health and behavioral risk factors for these populations can provide knowledge for increased understanding and improved program development. SAMHSA goals are addressed in Goal 1 of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health which supports bridging the gap between health and mental health in service planning and care. At a minimum, the funds awarded will be used to conduct the following activities: * Coordination and collaboration with the Public Health Agency to enhance understanding of State mental health needs. * Communication with the State Public Health Agency on selected mental health data analyses that can assist the State in increased knowledge and program development. * Provision of a data analyses report that may include prevalence estimation of depression, lifetime diagnoses, socio-demographic characteristics, associated behavioral risk factors and health conditions, and other measures identified in the survey. If possible, regional analyses and trend analyses is desirable. * Presentation of prevalence findings to key State leaders and stakeholders for assessment and planning.State Mental Health Data Infrastructure Grants for Quality Improvement are authorized under 1971 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2010 focus area 18 (Mental Health and Mental Disorders).