Depression Screening in Nursing Homes: Involvement of Social Services Departments

Objective: To determine the percentage of nursing home (NH) social services (SSs) departments that screen at-risk residents for depression. To report characteristics of SS departments that usually or always are involved in depression screening. Design: Cross-sectional, nationally representative survey. Setting: NHs. Participants: 1,071 Nursing Home Social Service Directors. Measurement: Survey. Results: Over two-thirds (68.5%) of the SS directors reported that their department was usually or always involved in screening at-risk residents for depression. Preliminary findings from this exploratory study indicate the odds of screening for depression increased if the SS director had a degree in social work; if the NH was part of a chain; and by U. S. region. NHs in the Northeast were less likely, and those in the Midwest and West were more likely, than their southern counterparts to head up SSs departments that screen for depression. Conclusions: Future research and clinical practice related to NH depression screening and treatment should include social workers. SS staff, especially those educated in social work, can be an important resource to NH staff, residents, and family members. The federal government holds NHs responsible for psychosocial care, including psychosocial depression care. (Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2010; 18: 266-275)