Community Partnerships
The Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care has one vision: a future free from the burden of depression. More than a center, we are a community of committed faculty and staff, collaborators, clinicians, research participants, and community partners, as well as, the donors and advocates who are critical to our mission.
Our community is what keeps us going and allows us to move closer to realizing our vision.
The CDRC focuses on transforming the diagnosis and treatment of depression with a particular emphasis on developing an empirical basis for improving the treatment of depression. The center has been involved in many of the pivotal studies involving the establishment of the efficacy of antidepressant treatments (medications, psychotherapy, exercise, complementary treatments, devices, etc.), examining next steps in treatment-resistant depression to develop algorithms and guidelines, and developing and validating biomarkers to reach the goal of precision medicine for mood disorders.
Our Networks
The CDRC has two community networks that provide invaluable partnership on our statewide initiatives.
Mood Disorders Network/ Pediatric Mood Disorders Network
Comprised of clinical and community members to address gaps in the screening, diagnosis, treatment, and management of depression and other mood disorders.
The Pediatric Mood Disorder Network was established in 2017 with the goal of collaborating with clinical and community members to address gaps in the treatment of depression. Since the establishment of the pediatric network, our center has served more than 10,000 children and adolescents.
Learn more about our programs:
- VitalSign6: a web-based software available to pediatricians and primary care physicians to help detect depression and integrate depression treatment into primary care. Learn more about our VitalSign6 program here.
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) program: the CDRC has received two grants that will fund research on suicide prevention in youth. Because depression often begins early in life, our goal is to proactively study the disease in young people to ultimately prevent or minimize its impact population-wide. Learn more about our program here.
If you would like to connect with our network, contact us at MDN@UTSouthwestern.edu.
Risk and Resilience Network
Comprised of local schools, colleges, and youth community organizations with a focus on preventing depression and suicide through education and engagement.
The Risk and Resilience Network team supports youth-serving organizations with programs that help mood and anxiety in adolescents through resilience building and mental health education.
Between 2016 and 2021, our Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM) program was delivered to approximately 20,000 students in over 67 middle and high schools, and 5 youth organizations in and around the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex.
Learn more about our programs:
- YAM: Youth Aware of Mental Health, YAM is an interactive universal mental health promotion program for 8th through 12th graders that encourages increased discussion and knowledge about mental health, suicide prevention, and the development of problem-solving skills and emotional intelligence. Learn more out our YAM program and related activities here.
- YAM Across Texas is our latest initiative to extend the YAM program and additional training options across the state. Learn more about this initiative here.
- TX-YDSRN: The Texas Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network (TX-YDSRN) is a research initiative of the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium (TCMHCC), which was created by the 86th Texas Legislature and, in part, funds multi-institutional research to improve mental health care for children and adolescents in Texas. Learn more about our activities with TX-YDSRN here.
If you would like to connect with our network, contact us at RRN@UTSouthwestern.edu.
Our Statewide Initiatives
For information about CDRC programs, research, or activities, contact us at CDRC@UTSouthwestern.edu.