HealthPartners Institute

Home / Research / Research strengths / Behavioral health

Behavioral health

Supporting mental health in primary and specialty care

Our behavioral health research program is a national and local model for integrated research and practice. We collaborate in studies that guide major improvements in behavioral health care. We play a leadership role in the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded Mental Health Research Network (MHRN). The MHRN is developing a model for learning health care organizations and networks by developing strong relationships with other care systems.

Areas of focus include:

  • Predicting and preventing suicide
  • Evaluating smartphone apps for people with depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder
  • Guiding primary care in the treatment of opioid use disorder
  • Improving depression care in primary care
  • Other medical conditions for patients with serious mental illness

Investigators

Key projects

Assessing the impact of virtual mental health care during COVID-19

With partners in the Mental Health Research Network, we are analyzing how changing from in-person to phone- or video-visits during the COVID-19 crisis is disrupting care of people with mental health conditions, including those in potentially disadvantaged subgroups. This work will help us understand who needs more support during crises. It will also help us determine who benefits most from telehealth visits as behavioral health care transitions to using more of these services.

Suicide prediction model helps save lives

A suicide prediction model that uses real-time updates to electronic health records to assess suicide risk is helping to identify potential tragedies before they happen. Developed by Institute researchers and others, the Suicide Risk Calculator algorithm examines 313 demographic and clinical characteristics from health records for up to five years to determine the potential for suicide. This tool is a way to strengthen critical support for our health plan members as we work to predict behavioral health hospitalization. The combination of experienced and knowledgeable case managers and this algorithm’s real-time alerts creates a powerful intervention that can make a crucial difference.

Treating opioid use disorder in primary care settings

Researchers at HealthPartners and Hennepin County Medical Center are developing a clinical decision support tool based on current guidelines to help clinicians screen, diagnose and treat opioid use disorder in primary care settings. This pilot study is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

DIAMOND

Researchers studied the effects of a natural experiment among 100 primary care practices to spread the collaborative care model: a systematic approach to depression care. It involved the integration of care managers, consulting psychiatrists and primary care providers. All participants learned from the trial, but we found no effect on depression. This project was funded by NIMH and led by the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement.

Key publications

Learn more about our Behavioral Health investigators and their publications by visiting Knowledge Exchange.