Developing an Integrated Mental Health Model for Home Visitation

The specific aims are: 1. To develop an integrated model of perinatal depression care within HV programs. This integrated model (“SCRIPT”) will incorporate screening, referral, and individualized prevention and treatment services. 2. To assess the feasibility of implementing the SCRIPT model with high fidelity in two HV programs. One HV program—DRUM Healthy Families—will use paraprofessionals as interventionists while the other program—M&I Nursing—will use nurses and social workers as interventionists. Hypothesis 1: The SCRIPT model can be implemented with high fidelity in both a paraprofessional and professional HV program. 3. To determine the impact of the SCRIPT model on depressive symptoms and major depressive episodes. Hypothesis 2: Perinatal women in the two HV programs implementing the SCRIPT model will show a reduction in depressive symptoms and fewer new major depressive episodes relative to perinatal women in the same programs who will serve as historical controls.