Improving care for depression: performance measures, outcomes and insights from the Health Disparities Collaboratives.

This paper reports 10 measures, outcomes, and insights from HRSA Depression Health Disparities Collaboratives, representing attempts to accelerate evidence-based guidelines into practice. The authors analyze interviews with leadership of high-performing centers. Monthly data was submitted on 38,000 patients from 94 centers.

Trends in mental health and substance abuse services at the nation's community health centers: 1998-2003.

Objective: We examined trends in delivery of mental health and substance abuse services at the nation's community health centers.

Methods: Analyses used data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Primary Care's (BPHC) 1998 and 2003 Uniform Data System, merged with county-level data.

Results: Between 1998 and 2003, the number of patients diagnosed with a mental health/substance abuse disorder in community health centers increased from 210,000 to 800,000.

Trends in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services at the Nation's Community Health Centers: 1998-2003.

Objective: We examined trends in delivery of mental health and substance abuse services at the nation's community health centers.

Methods: Analyses used data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Primary Care's (BPHC) 1998 and 2003 Uniform Data System, merged with county-level data.

Results: Between 1998 and 2003, the number of patients diagnosed with a mental health/substance abuse disorder in community health centers increased from 210,000 to 800,000.

Performance measures of cultural competency in mental health organizations.

The authors utilized numerous documents created by advisory groups, expert panels and multicultural focus groups to develop performance measures for assessing the cultural competency of mental health systems. Competency was measured within three levels of organizational structure: administrative, provider network, and individual caregiver. Indicators, measures and data sources for needs assessment, information exchange, services, human resources, plans and policies, and outcomes were identified.

Castleman's disease presenting as a pediatric surgical problem.

A 9-year-old girl presented with anemia, fever, and poor growth over a 2 1/2-year period. On physical examination, a right lower quadrant mass was palpated. Her signs and symptoms were consistent with Castleman's disease of the plasma cell type.