Project Dates: September 29, 2019 – September 30, 2024
PEARLS® Equity focused on expanding depression care for older adults in underserved communities by partnering with organizations that are already serving and doing work with these communities. The ultimate goal was to help provide equitable access to depression care. With equity as a key part of our goal, we collaborated with organizations that serve older adults who are experiencing poverty, are community members of color, have limited-English proficiency, and/or live in rural areas.
Project Surveys
Over several years, we asked organizations in Washington state and California to participate in a series of surveys. We focused on organizations that fund or provide mental health services and/or services to older adults. The surveys took about one hour a year to complete (two 30-minute surveys).
Responses from these organizations were essential to helping us understand who is providing services for mental health care and/or older adults, what barriers these organizations face, and where gaps exist across California and Washington.
This information allowed us to test strategies around providing more equitable access to depression care for older adults.
Resources & PEARLS®
UW Health Promotion Research Center provided these same organizations with resources and support that could help them better serve their communities. Some of these resources included hosting webinars and conversations about addressing isolation and depression for older adults using PEARLS®.
While we hope PEARLS® will work for many of these organizations, they are not required to adopt the program in order to participate in the project surveys . In fact, we hope organizations that chose not to adopt PEARLS will be willing and able to take the surveys.
Our Partnerships
Here is what a few of our partners said about our collaboration efforts.
“The UW Health Promotion Research Center partnership provides accessible, non-judgmental support and expertise. They engage and brainstorm with us on ways to reduce barriers to offerings in our rural communities.”
– Susan, Rogue Valley Council of Governments Senior & Disability Services, Central Point, Oregon
“With the UW Health Promotion Research Center, we feel more confident. They enable us and empower us to continue our linkages with older folks and our veterans.”
– Sluggo (pictured above), IDIC Filipino Senior & Family Services, Seattle, Washington
“I see the UW Health Promotion Research Center as our personal cheerleaders. They celebrate our accomplishments with us and help us troubleshoot when we are struggling.”
– Amelia, El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center, San Bernardino, California
Contact Us
Questions about the project? Contact us at equity-study@uw.edu.