PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Over 15% of women in the United States are impacted by depression during or after pregnancy. Untreated
perinatal depression dramatically impairs maternal quality of life and, in its most extreme form, can lead to suicide
which remains a leading contributor to maternal mortality. Despite recognition of its importance, multiple barriers
exist in the depression care cascade. One of these barriers is the existing health system structure, wherein
obstetric and psychiatric care exists in silos and social determinants of mental health (SDoMH) are not
systematically integrated into care plans. Without a synergistic approach to the whole woman, both physically
and mentally, screening for depressive symptoms occurs inconsistently. Even when screening occurs and
depression is diagnosed, treatment is often not initiated, depressive symptoms are not tracked, and care is not
escalated with the goal of symptom remission. This lack in coordinated and personalized care has left thousands
of women vulnerable each year in the United States. Moreover, there are significant inequities in perinatal
depression care which contribute to the widening racial and ethnic disparities in quality of life, maternal morbidity,
and maternal mortality. It is imperative that we identify alternative mechanisms to adequately identify and treat
perinatal depression in an equitable manner and incorporate mental healthcare as a component of interventions
designed to reduce maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity.
The collaborative care model (CCM), when implemented in the primary care context, leads to improvements in
mental health outcomes. However, the perinatal context is unique on the patient, clinician, and systems levels.
Thus the perinatal CCM (pCCM) requires its own validation. One small (n=168), randomized trial suggests the
pCCM is efficacious in reducing depressive symptoms. Despite these data, pCCM remains rarely utilized due to
two existing gaps in the research-to-practice continuum. First, the existing efficacy data lack generalizability
needed for broad dissemination. Second, no studies have been published to inform best practices with respect
to an implementation strategies package for pCCM, with attention to the unique aspects of the perinatal context.
Moreover, while the pCCM is an equity-centered intervention, the persistent disparities observed in pregnancy
outcomes and perinatal mental health require an intentional, innovative, inclusive, anti-racist approach that builds
upon the traditional equity-centered CCM foundations and centers identification and mitigation of SDoMH.
We will leverage existing clinical algorithms and databases developed for an established and successful pCCM
to perform a rigorous stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial to evaluate the effect of an equity-enhanced pCCM
[COMPASS-PLUS (Collaborative Care Model for Perinatal Depression Support Services – Population-Level
Health Equity-Centered Structural Changes)] on maternal mental health outcomes and mental health disparities.
We will optimize an implementation strategy package tailored to perinatal care via a hybrid type 2
implementation-effectiveness design with the goal of broad dissemination of the pCCM.
