title: Meeting the mental health needs of low-income immigrants in primary care: a community adaptation of an evidence-based model.
abstract: Low-income, uninsured immigrants are burdened by poverty and a high prevalence of trauma exposure and thus are vulnerable to mental health problems. Disparities in access to mental health services highlight the importance of adapting evidence-based interventions in primary care settings that serve this population. In 2005, the Montgomery Cares Behavioral Health Program began adapting and implementing a collaborative care model for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders in a network of primary care clinics that serve low-income, uninsured residents of Montgomery County, Maryland, the majority of whom are immigrants. In its 6th year now, the program has generated much needed knowledge about the adaptation of this evidence-based model. The current article describes the adaptations to the traditional collaborative care model that were necessitated by patient characteristics and the clinic environment.
authors: Georgetown University Medical Center, 2115 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA. sk279@georgetown.edu
authors: Stacey
authors: S
authors: Kaltman
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Pauk
authors: Carol L
authors: CL
authors: Alter
mesh_terms: D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000523:psychology; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016730:Program Development