National medical association of more than 94,000 family doctors

The Community Initiative on Depression (CID) led by the Mid-America Coalition on Health Care took place in Kansas City in 2001-2004. The initiative brought together employers, health care providers, health plans, and other stakeholders to address depression because of its high prevalence and the significant impact depression has on the workplace. Based on a Coalition-developed Employee Attitudinal Survey and other initial assessments, a broad-based initiative was planned to include workplace education and collaboration with the employers’ EAPs, local mental health agencies, and national groups. In 2004, as improvements were being made in the local infrastructure for depression treatment, the Coalition began to develop informational interventions in the form of communication campaigns in the workplace with the assistance of a consulting occupational therapist experienced in worksite health promotion. A model intervention was developed with optional components to allow employers to tailor their efforts to their particular work culture and communication standards. A full description of the CID can be found at the Coalition’s web site, www.machc.org.