Over the last few decades, there has been a significant growth in the measurement and reporting of health care quality outcomes. As health care evolves, it is important to continue to monitor and report on the quality of care delivered to patients in California and across the US. This is part of a series of measures CHCF is publishing on the quality of care in our state. Topics range from maternal to end-of-life care, and include measures on behavioral health, chronic conditions, and providers.

This set of quality measures focuses on behavioral health, including mental health and substance use.

California adolescents were less likely to receive treatment for depression than adolescents nationwide.

Among adolescents in California who reported a major depressive episode, 36% received treatment for depression. This was lower than the national rate of 42% and the Healthy People 2030 target of 46%.

Health plans in California and the US performed better on initiation of antidepressant medication treatment than on continuation of that treatment.

In California and the US, few health plan patients with alcohol or drug dependence diagnoses received treatment services.

The companion Excel data file, which provides these data and more, as well as links to each data source, is available for download below. These materials are part of CHCF’s California Health Care Almanac, an online clearinghouse for key data and analyses describing the state’s health care landscape. See our entire collection of current and past editions of Quality of Care.