Tools & Resources
The Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care is always striving to build bridges to better mental health and wellbeing for our community in Texas and beyond.
Accomplishing this means addressing the particular needs and levels of community involvement that make success possible.
For Clinicians
Why Collaborative Care?
The Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) is an evidenced-based practice to bring physical and mental health care and treatment together within the same primary care provider’s office. The goal is to increase accessibility to psychiatric care through building a connection between Primary Care Providers and Psychiatrists and the cornerstone of this collaboration involves a Behavioral Health Manager or Case Manager (typically a social worker or RN). Extensive research has shown that collaborative care improves clinical outcomes and promotes costs savings. Learn more here.
As part of the Texas Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network (TXYDSRN), clinicians across Texas have been trained in measurement-based care (MBC) and collaborative care (CC) strategies for addressing youth depression and suicide, with ongoing monthly educational opportunities and consultation offered to support MBC and CC efforts and research throughout the state.
Learn more about TX-YDSRN here.
Why Measurement-Based Care?
The concept of measurement-based care (MBC) for the treatment of depression includes the systematic assessment of depressive symptoms, antidepressant treatment side effects, and antidepressant treatment adherence at defined intervals using validated rating scales with the goal of reaching full remission.
Listen to local leaders in the field of mental health discuss the importance of measurement-based care in helping Texas become free from the burden of depression, here.
Making Depression the 6th Vital Sign!
A comprehensive program for the identification and treatment of depression in primary care, pediatric, and specialty clinic settings utilizing an innovative web-based application to administer the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and Measurement-Based Care.
Learn more about our program here.
For Educators
Resilience-Building School-Based Program
The Blue Steel program highlights emotion recognition and management, relaxation response activities, and empathic relationships as protective factors to encourage an attitude of mindfulness, acceptance, and mental flexibility. Increasing feelings of self-efficacy ultimately teaches students that they are reliable partners in their own mental health promotion.
Learn more about our program here.
CDRC Training Academy
As we consider the best ways to encourage mental health promotion in our schools, it becomes important to recognize that while there is a big need to attend to youth who are experiencing a crisis, true transformation demands focusing on all steps preceding these crises by identify those students who are just beginning to experience symptoms of mental illness, as well as those who are experiencing high environmental stressors that put them at greater risk. From our work, we know that there are many more youth that are NOT being identified because they have internalizing symptoms that go unnoticed by those around them and escalate over time.
As we think about where, when, and how to provide mental health interventions in our schools, the key to success is to impact EVERY student at all three tiers in terms of resilience, wellness, and mental health promotion.
Learn more about our Training Academy here.
Youth Aware of Mental Health Program
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. YAM uses various learning methods to present the fundamental components of the program in five interactive sessions over 3 weeks.
The CDRC is one of the few organizations currently offering YAM certification, in partnership with Mental Health in Mind International AB, in the United States. Through a partnership with the CDRC, community providers and school staff can be trained to be certified YAM Facilitators.
Learn more here.
For Youth and Parents
Participate in our Community Activities
Here at the CDRC, we have a Public Education & Community Outreach (PECO) team dedicated to connecting the DFW community with our programs, research, and initiatives. To connect with us, please contact CDRC@UTSouthwestern.edu.
Learn more about our community activities here.
A Self-Monitoring Tool with You in Mind
Self-monitoring is a powerful way to manage mental health, and we created a web-based tool that allows anyone to measure and better understand their mental health trends.
Learn more about Evexia here.
Participate in our Research
Housed within the Department of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center, we have one of the strongest programs in the nation for mood disorders research and treatment.
Learn about our current research here.
For information about CDRC programs, research, or activities, contact us at CDRC@UTSouthwestern.edu.