Lessons Learned: Implementation of a Culturally Focused Psychiatric Consultation Service for Latino Americans and Asian Americans.

Abstract

Novel interventions have been developed to bridge disparities in accessing mental health care for minority populations. However, challenges arise when trying to implement and study novel interventions in real-world community settings. Our objective is to describe the challenges implementing the Culturally Focused Psychiatric (CFP) Consultation Program for depressed Latino and Asian Americans in four urban primary care practices. Issues discussed at regular on-site meetings were used to inform improvements in the program's implementation, and interviews were conducted with intervention and practice staff at the end of the program to address additional avenues for improvement. Despite thoughtful planning, multiple challenges arose, highlighting the need for extended time piloting the intervention, additional staffing of the intervention, and maintaining flexibility when working with busy primary care sites to implement mental health interventions. The CFP program highlights the challenges of implementing mental health interventions for minority populations in primary care.