Primary Care: Meeting the Mental Health Care Needs of Adolescents With Depression.

There is considerable evidence demonstrating the negative impact adolescent depression has on youth outcomes, such as poor school performance, social isolation, comorbid substance abuse, lack of employment, and, most concerning, the development of suicidal behaviors.1 Currently, the health system cannot meet the needs of youths with depression due to lack of access, shortage of trained clinicians, and inability to consistently deliver evidence-based care, especially in low-resource communities.2 To address this problem, we are turning to other health practitioners, specifically our primary care colleagues, to help provide effective care for adolescent depression and other mental health conditions.