title: A Pilot Investigation to Enhance Behavioral Health Referral for Perinatal, Low-Income Women With Mood Disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Perinatal, low-income, ethnic minority women with mood disorders underutilize behavioral health treatment. A community-academic partnership was used to address behavioral health initiation among this population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a behavioral health referral intervention with low-income, ethnic minority perinatal women diagnosed with mood disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  An open trial pilot study was conducted with 38 perinatal women. The behavioral health referral intervention consisted of two sessions of manualized referral strategies to enhance access to care. The main outcome was attendance at a behavioral health appointment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 55% of the perinatal women attended a behavioral health appointment within 2 months (i.e., initiated treatment). Intervention participation rates and ratings were high. Depression scores decreased from baseline to after the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings demonstrated favorable outcomes compared with other referral interventions. The behavioral health referral intervention shows promise for implementation in community settings.
authors.forename: Rhonda C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: Marjie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mogul
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: O'Hara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration