Enhanced Services for the Hard to Employ Demonstration: Telephonic Care Management for Depressed Medicaid Recipients

Working toward Wellness is a telephone care management and outreach monitoring program designed to help Medicaid recipients who are experiencing major depression to enter and remain in evidence-based treatment. To study the effects of Working toward Wellness, individuals receiving Medicaid in Rhode Island who are eligible for mental health services through United Behavioral Health were screened by telephone for depression. Those who were found to have major depression and who agreed to be in the study were randomly assigned. Program participants received intensive monitoring from Master's level clinicians called care managers to facilitate and support clinical treatment. The control group received usual care that included only referrals to mental health treatment providers. The study hypothesis is that telephonic care management would increase visits to mental health professionals and use of appropriate medication, which in turn would reduce depression severity and lead to greater employment and productivity at work.