April 27, 2024
Adolescent and Young Adult Health Research Network National Adolescent and Young Adult Health Information Center

Adolescent and Young Adult Behavioral Health CoIIN

The Center created multiple tools to address adolescent and young adult mental health concerns, through an innovative “CoIIN” quality improvement project focused on depression screening and follow up care, complemented by public health interventions.

About three quarters of people with depression experienced their first symptoms by age 24. Thus, the teen and young adult years present a key window to identify depression and help youth manage this condition.

Our Quality Improvement project is based on the Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (“CoIIN”) model.

The Center’s engaged state clinical teams and public health teams, with intensive assistance to ten states.

The AYA Behavioral Health CoIIN page offers practical tools such as:

  • Project development and management tools (e.g., Key Driver Diagrams, workshop to assess clinical service provision and public health capacity)
  • helpful links and resources for clinicians, including webinars on delivery of clinical care to adolescents and young adults in areas such as depression screening tools, follow up to positive screens, and prescribing medication.
  • Resources for public health and community programs, such as measurement tools, webinars on partnerships, equity and sustainability, and additional resources, including a blog #ScreenToInterveneForAYAs, that shares innovative state programs.
  • Based on experiences of the state teams, the AYAH-NRC created a guide for developing partnerships to address youth mental health.

AMCHP created several tools for state Title V programs and their partners:

  • AMCHP’s CoIIN “legacy products,” available here: Capacity assessment tool for MCH programs; Pathways to Progress (Key Driver Diagram); and Snapshots of public health projects.
  • Additional resources are available here.

Participants in the CoIIN’s state clinical teams achieved great improvements in increasing depression screening during well visits and other visits. A brief summary report and a short and longer infographics present overall achievements. Infographic showing the gains for each state in the second AYA-BH CoIIN are available here: