Depression screening

Each Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan Medi-Cal or Cal MediConnect member must receive a general depression screening at least once a year. All practitioners must use an evidence-based screening tool when providing a mental health screening, and the screening must be performed in conjunction with and on the same date as an outpatient visit.

View a list of approved screening tools (PDF, 81 KB) to use for facilitating a depression screening for Blue Shield Promise members.

If either a general depression screening or a maternal mental health screening is positive, you must include a follow-up plan in the member’s medical record on the screening date. Follow-up for a positive depression screening must include one or more of the following:

• Additional evaluation
• Suicide risk assessment
• Referral to a practitioner who is qualified to diagnose and treat depression
• Pharmacological interventions
• Other interventions or follow-up for the diagnosis and treatment of depression

The documented follow-up must be related to the positive depression screening. For example, “Patient referred for psychiatric evaluation due to positive depression screening.” Please note that the member should receive one screening per year.