Abstract
Adolescent depression affects approximately 11% of adolescents by the age of eighteen. Depression in adolescents can lead to low school performance, strained interpersonal relationships, low self-esteem and may increase the likelihood of adolescents engaging in risky health behaviors and suicide. Primary care is the first stop for many adolescents seeking treatment for depression. However, primary care providers have expressed discomfort in diagnosing and treating adolescent depression. The EMERALD program is an integrative adolescent depression program within a pediatric primary care setting that provides specialty support to primary care providers in diagnosing and treating adolescent depression. This study sought to determine providers’ opinions regarding the program through the use of four longitudinal quantitative and qualitative surveys conducted from July 2011 to January 2014 including an expanded current survey and in-person interviews. Results indicate a steady increase in respondents’ reports of their comfort levels both diagnosing and treating adolescent depression over four years. Participants also expressed the value of the increased access to specialty support for both themselves and their patients. Furthermore, participants indicate the integrative model, especially as it relates to the value of the role of care coordinator, was very beneficial to their practices in diagnosing and treating adolescent depression.