Albertina Kerr has been selected to participate in the Measurement-Based Care Learning Collaborative (MBC) through Pacific West Hub of the Center for Mental Health Implementation Support.
This opportunity builds on Kerr’s commitment to person-centered mental health services and will help our clinicians and supervisors strengthen how we use information from the people we support to understand whether treatment is working and when care may need to change.
Measurement-based care uses standardized clinical tools at regular points during treatment to track changes in symptoms and experiences over time. While these tools are commonly used to screen for conditions such as depression or anxiety, measurement-based care goes a step further by using them throughout treatment.
For example, think about a routine visit to a primary care provider. Your blood pressure may be checked at each appointment because a single reading only tells part of the story. Tracking it overtime gives the provider more information to help guide care. Measurement-based care applies a similar idea to behavioral health.
For the people Kerr supports, that means regularly checking in on how they are doing and using that information alongside conversations with their care team. If someone is making progress, the team can see it. If certain symptoms aren’t improving, that information can help the person and their providers decide whether a different approach may be helpful.
Just as important, a measurement or score never tells someone’s whole story. These tools are not intended to replace a person’s voice, experiences, or goals, or the clinical judgment of their providers. Instead, they provide another source of information that can help people and their care teams make informed decisions together.
Using this information consistently can help care teams better understand how treatment is working and make informed adjustments when needed.
Through the University of Washington learning collaborative, Kerr clinicians and supervisors will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of measurement-based care and how patient-reported outcome measures can be used effectively in practice.
By listening to the people we support, tracking progress, and responding when something isn’t working, we can continue strengthening mental health care around what matters most: each person’s needs, goals, and experiences.