Current Projects

PIs: Aubrey Dueweke, Ph.D., Robert “Matthew” Tolliver, Ph.D., Jodi Polaha, Ph.D.

Although developers of the PCBH model have articulated a descriptive “recipe” for its successful delivery (i.e., GATHER; see Reiter, Dobmeyer, & Hunter, 2018), there is inconsistency in how this recipe has been operationalized across settings, perhaps due to a lack of clear guidelines for measuring fidelity to the model. This lack of consistent measurement and reporting of model fidelity makes it difficult to effectively compare and interpret results of PCBH implementation across sites and studies. As such, the aims of this project are to:

1) measure fidelity to the PCBH model across ETSU Health clinics, using objective fidelity metrics extracted from the electronic medical record (EMR) and observational coding of provider behaviors;

2) evaluate the role of fidelity metrics as a quality improvement tool; and

3) articulate a set of methods and procedures that other teams hoping to implement PCBH can follow for measuring and reporting fidelity in the future.

PIs: Robert “Matthew” Tolliver, Ph.D., Aubrey Dueweke, Ph.D., Jodi Polaha, Ph.D.

The aim of this project is to pilot test a method for collecting data on BHC-medical resident education interactions and describe the reach and acceptability of BHC-delivered clinical teaching events to medical residents across five ETSU Health training clinics.

PI: Aubrey Dueweke, Ph.D.

The aim of this project is to explore how various factors contribute to college students’ decisions whether to seek help for mental health problems.

PIs: Jodi Polaha, Ph.D., Aubrey Dueweke, Ph.D.

The aim of this project is to expand rural primary care businesses by adding mental health professionals to their staff. This project will engage a feasibility study in two parts. In Part 1, we will survey rural primary care practices in our region to assess their readiness for integrated behavioral health services and perceived barriers. In Part 2, we will pilot a technical assistance program/business support center to expand those practices who demonstrate the greatest readiness.

PI: Aubrey Dueweke, Ph.D.

Suicide is a serious public health problem. Although suicide risk factors and interventions to prevent suicidal crises are well-researched, less attention has been paid to the efforts people make during a suicidal crisis to seek help, despite evidence suggesting only a small fraction of those in crisis seek formal assistance. Given the lack of information about outcomes for help-seeking for suicidal crises and the severity of the concern, more research is required. In particular, qualitative research to understand (versus explain) the phenomenon of help-seeking at such a critical time is warranted (Hjelmeland & Knizek, 2010).

This study will use primarily qualitative methods to answer the following questions:

1) What, if any, helping resources do people access when they are feeling suicidal?

2) How do others respond to these help-seeking attempts? Have these resources been helpful, harmful, etc.?

3) What barriers do people face when trying to seek help for a suicidal crisis?

4)  How can we improve the broad spectrum of mental health care to reduce these barriers and make it more likely we can provide people in a suicidal crisis with appropriate, responsive, and just-in-time care?

PI: Aubrey Dueweke, Ph.D.

The aim of this project is to explore help-seeking processes and pathways to mental health care for individuals in Northeast Tennessee. Among other variables, we will be evaluating and comparing delays between onset of mental health concerns, initiation of help-seeking, and receipt of treatment among patients being seen by behavioral health professionals in primary care versus community mental health settings. We will also investigate variables that may influence the likelihood of someone returning to future mental health appointments, and see whether these factors differ across treatment settings.