Below you will find information for primary care providers and behavioral health practitioners, including assessment and treatment. You will also find patient education materials, including articles, resources, tips and information about support groups.

Articles

The articles listed below contain useful information for providers who are helping patients cope with depression.

Accepting and Coping with a Chronic Illness —
Until you are diagnosed with a chronic illness it is difficult to predict how you will react. Much like the stages of grief, coping with a diagnosis also has its stages.

Depression and Heart Disease —
Depressive illness is a common condition and affects 1 in 5 individuals at some time in their lives. It is characterized by feelings of sadness, lack of pleasure or loss of interest in daily life. Patients with chronic physical illness are at even higher risk than the general population with respect to developing depressive disorders.

 

Resources

These organizations can provide you with additional information about depression and its treatment.

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
3615 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20016-3007
Telephone: (202) 966-7300
www.aacap.org

American Medical Association
Telephone: (202) 237-2280
www.ama-assn.org

Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
730 North Franklin Street, Suite 501
Chicago, IL 60610
Telephone: (800) 826-3632
www.dbsalliance.org/

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201-3042
Telephone: (800) 950-NAMI (800-950-6264)
www.nami.org

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
6001 Executive Boulevard
Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
Telephone: (800) 421-4211
www.nimh.nih.gov

Mental Health America (MHA)
500 Montgomery Street, Suite 820
Alexandria, VA 22314
Toll Free (800) 969-6642
www.mentalhealthamerica.net

 

Clinical Guidelines

Below please find clinical best practice guidelines developed by nationally-recognized organizations that assist providers in clinical decision-making.

The MacArthur Initiative on Depression Primary Care –
The MacArthur Initiative

Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Major Depression –  
American Psychiatric Association

 

Appraisal

Download and print a Depression Appraisal that you can give to your patients who might be dealing with Depression.