Project ECHO in Psychiatric Workforce Development: the Example of a Perinatal Mental Health ECHO

Area of Science:

• Perinatal mental health
• Substance use disorders
• Healthcare workforce development

Background:

• Perinatal mental health and substance use disorders (PMHSUD) are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated.
• Effective screening, diagnosis, and treatment strategies are crucial for improving maternal and infant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Project ECHO model's effectiveness in educating obstetric, primary care, and mental health clinicians on PMHSUD.
• To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and self-reported impact of the ECHO model on clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• A 3-year evaluation of the Moms' Access Project (MAP) ECHO program (2019-2022).
• Pre- and post-program surveys administered to 136 participants.
• Qualitative interviews with 9 participants from year 1 analyzed using Dedoose software.

Main Results:

• High participant satisfaction (96.8%) and reported application of learned information (95.1%).
• Consistent increases in clinician confidence across all learning objectives.
• Qualitative themes included competence, motivation, connection, and organizational change dynamics.

Conclusions:

• The Project ECHO model is a feasible and acceptable method for PMHSUD workforce development.
• Self-reported effectiveness indicates the program successfully enhanced clinicians' ability to manage PMHSUD.
• This model shows promise for improving care for perinatal mental health and substance use disorders.