From clinics to communities: community health workers' perspectives on taking on the behavioral health care manager role for community-based geriatric depression treatment.
The Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) is an evidence-based model designed for primary care and has shown improved late-life depression outcomes. This study explored the perspectives of a non-specialist workforce, community health workers (CHWs), on adapting CoCM to community organizations by expanding CHW roles to include that of behavioral health care manager (BHCM).
Guided by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability, we conducted semi-structured interviews with CHWs from community-based and clinical settings across five states.Participants discussed their attitudes, perceived self-efficacy, and recommendations regarding four BHCM tasks: administering behavioral health measures, using a patient registry, collaborating with mental health specialists and primary care providers, and delivering psychosocial interventions. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.
CHWs expressed interest, support, and perceived self-efficiacy, with traiing and supervision, for the proposed role expansion, and cited alignment with their mission and community needs. Their strengths included community trust, linkage, and knowledge of resources as a workforce. Collaborating with mental health specialists was viewed as a model strength, but collaboration with primary care providers was a potential barrier.
Findings support the acceptability of developing a BHCM workforce among CHWs, but understanding the perspectives of other stakeholders would be warranted for CHW role redesign.
Guided by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability, we conducted semi-structured interviews with CHWs from community-based and clinical settings across five states.Participants discussed their attitudes, perceived self-efficacy, and recommendations regarding four BHCM tasks: administering behavioral health measures, using a patient registry, collaborating with mental health specialists and primary care providers, and delivering psychosocial interventions. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.
CHWs expressed interest, support, and perceived self-efficiacy, with traiing and supervision, for the proposed role expansion, and cited alignment with their mission and community needs. Their strengths included community trust, linkage, and knowledge of resources as a workforce. Collaborating with mental health specialists was viewed as a model strength, but collaboration with primary care providers was a potential barrier.
Findings support the acceptability of developing a BHCM workforce among CHWs, but understanding the perspectives of other stakeholders would be warranted for CHW role redesign.
Authors
Wang Wang, Steinman Steinman, Ko Ko, Bertero Bertero, Raue Raue, Chwastiak Chwastiak, Fillipo Fillipo, Hannon Hannon
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