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Mercy Primary Care Center Receives $100,000 Grant for Depression Program

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation grant will help MPCC screen uninsured, low-income patients for depression and refer those who have depression for appropriate treatment

Novi, Michigan – Uninsured low-income patients at Mercy Primary Care Center (MPCC) stand to benefit from a $100,000 grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation. The two-year grant will help MPCC practitioners identify patients with depression and refer them to appropriate treatment.

Mercy Primary Care Center, a continuing mission of Trinity Health, Novi, Mich., is a primary care center serving uninsured, low-income patients of Detroit’s east side, which has the city’s highest poverty level.

“It is our vision that a focused depression screening and treatment program will fulfill a very important need in the delivery of health care to our uninsured, low-income patients in the city of Detroit,” said Margaret Meyers, MD, Medical Director, MPCC.

A study by the National Institute of Health shows that more than 80 percent of patients with depression improve when they receive appropriate treatment.

The depression screening and treatment program will enable MPCC to:

• Screen patients in a primary care setting to identify symptoms of depression
• Develop health education materials to inform patients about symptoms and treatment options
• Measure and evaluate the effectiveness of various treatments such as medication, education, therapy or combinations of each
• Provide transportation when needed.

MPCC will partner with the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) in the depression intervention program. The university’s McAuley Health Center (MHC) staffs MPCC with nurse practitioners who provide primary care and mental health services.

“When a patient seeks treatment at a primary care center, it is a good opportunity to screen for depressive conditions,” said Ira Strumwasser, PhD, Executive Director and CEO of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation. “We’re interested in helping primary care physicians play a greater role in identifying patients who may need additional follow-up for depression.”

While nurse practitioners at MPCC routinely ask patients about depressive symptoms during physical exams, no formal screening and outcomes-based measurement tools are currently in practice, Meyers said.

“We are grateful to Blue Cross Blue Shield Michigan for their generosity and partnership in the MPCC depression screening and treatment program,” Meyers said. “Our professionals will be better able to help patients improve their mental health so they can interrupt the downward cycle of depression, which does contribute to poorer physical health.”

Since 2001, MPCC has been providing medication, lab tests, limited radiological studies and limited specialty care to uninsured, low-income patients. All patients receive care regardless of their ability to contribute.

In addition to providing primary care services, MPCC addresses other needs through the Specialized Personal Assistance (SPA) program, which provides clothing, showers and laundry services for homeless persons. Van transportation is provided for patients who otherwise are unable to access medical care.