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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

MAP to Health physical activity study

Research has shown that people who have a stronger sense of meaning or purpose live longer and are less likely to have heart attacks or develop chronic diseases. This pilot study uses a personalized text-based program designed to help people be more physically active. A brief assessment is used to determine which physical activities participants enjoy and what things they find meaningful. Participants create a physical activities calendar and receive personalized text messages based on their motivations, to help increase their physical activity.

Mental illness and heart disease risk

On average, people with serious mental illness (SMI) die 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population, with heart disease the leading cause of death. This disparity prompted Institute researchers to study heart disease risk among patients living with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder. Their analysis, which was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), found that the risk of developing heart disease over 10 and 30 years was significantly higher for patients with SMI.

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. Clinicians in our behavioral health clinics receive real-time alerts when the algorithm identifies a patient with elevated risk of suicide. This powerful intervention 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.

Key publications

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