Mental Health Screening Program

• Complete mental health screenings using one of the following tools:
  • Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2)
  • Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
  • Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS);
  • Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A)
  • Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
  • If your practice uses a different mental health screening tool, please contact us to discuss if it can be allowed for the purposes of this initiative.

• Develop and adhere to a follow-up plan for positive mental health screening results that should include:
  • Referral to a provider for additional evaluation, assessment, and treatment
  • Pharmacological intervention(s)
  • Other clinically appropriate interventions or follow-up for the diagnosis or treatment of depression
• Electronically capture mental health screening data
  • Measurement of current screening rates and results
  • Begin development of protocols to track follow-up intervention
• Submit semi-annual reports on screening rates
  • Results should be reported in an aggregate and de-identified format and should not include any protected health information (PHI)
    • The rate can include both attributed and un-attributed lives for all payers
  • The screening rate should be calculated as a percentage based upon:
    • Numerator: the number of patients that received mental health screening
    • Denominator: total patient population eligible for mental health screening
  • Screening rate results should be reported according to the following deadlines:
    • Submission 1: June 13, 2025 (a submission form will be emailed two weeks before)
      Measurement period: January 1, 2025 to May 31, 2024
    • Submission 2: January 16, 2026 (a submission form will be emailed two weeks before)
      Measurement period: January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025
  • Participants may be randomly audited to confirm reported values are being generated electronically and are being reflected accurate

The OneCare payer-specific annual depression screening metric remains tied to the CMS Prev-12 directions. For more detailed guidance on measuring and reporting mental health screening rates, including measure specifications and how this incentive program aligns with OneCare’s annual measure, please see OneCare Prev-12 Preventative Care and Screening: Screening for Depression and Follow-Up Plan under “2024 Annual Quality Measures” on the OneCare portal.