- Project Director Melissa Leonard, MPA, and Senior Researcher, Busra Ceviren, PhD, represented GRC at the 17th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health. -

Project Director Melissa Leonard, MPA, and Senior Researcher, Busra Ceviren, PhD, represented GRC at the conference, where the Focus on ME quality improvement initiative was highlighted for its impactful work. The initiative, funded by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Ohio Department of Health, and Ohio Department of Medicaid, focuses on improving care for anxiety and depression among women of reproductive age.

The project addresses a critical gap in behavioral health care by engaging multi-disciplinary primary care teams to integrate mental health services into primary care settings. Its specific goals include increasing the screening rates for anxiety and depression and improving access to appropriate care for patients who screen positive. Over the first two phases of the project, significant improvements were achieved in both screening and treatment measures, with many results reaching statistical significance.

Since its launch, the Focus on ME initiative has impacted more than 36,000 patients. Currently in its third phase, the project is applying lessons learned to enhance care delivery and has expanded to 62 primary care sites across Ohio. By collaborating with participating sites to design and test tailored interventions, the project continues to drive meaningful change in addressing mental health needs.

The conference provided an excellent platform for the Focus on ME team to share Ohio’s successes with a national audience, showcasing the initiative’s potential as a model for improving mental health care for women. GRC is proud to contribute to advancing evidence-based practices in health care through initiatives like Focus on ME.