Engaging Mothers With Depressive Symptoms in Care: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial in Head Start

Objective:The authors sought to determine whether a multicomponent, community-based program for preventing maternal depression also promotes engagement with mental health services for individuals with persistent symptoms.Methods:Mothers of children enrolled in Head Start were randomly assigned between February 2011 and May 2016 to Problem-Solving Education (PSE) (N=111) or usual services (N=119) and assessed every two months for 12 months.Results:Among 230 participants, 66% were Hispanic; 223 participants were included in the analysis. For all PSE participants, engagement with specialty mental health services increased from approximately 10% to 21% between two and 12 months. The PSE group was more likely than the control group to be engaged in specialty services at 12 months (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=2.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.07–5.20), and the rate of engagement with specialty services over time (treatment × time interaction) favored PSE (p=.016). Among PSE participants with persistent depress...