HAB HIV Core Clinical Performance Measures for 

Adult/Adolescent Clients: Group 3

Final: April 2009  Page 13 

Performance Measure: Mental Health 

Screening 

OPR-Related Measure: Yes 

www.hrsa.gov/performancereview/measures.htm 

Percentage of new clients1 with HIV infection who have had a mental health screening 

Numerator: Number of HIV-infected clients who received a mental health screening 

Denominator: 

Number of HIV-infected clients who: 

 were new during the measurement year, and 

 had a medical visit with a provider with prescribing privileges2 at least 

once in the measurement year 

Patient 

Exclusions: None 

Data Elements: 

1. Is the client HIV-infected? (Y/N) 

a. If yes, was the client new to the program during the 

measurement year? (Y/N) 

i. If yes, did the client receive mental health screening 

during the measurement year? (Y/N) 

Data Sources: 

 Electronic Medical Record/Electronic Health Record 

 CAREWare, Lab Tracker, or other electronic data base 

 HIVQUAL reports on this measure for grantee under review 

 Medical record data abstraction by grantee of a sample of records 

 Billing records 

National Goals, 

Targets, or 

Benchmarks 

for 

Comparison 

National HIVQUAL Data:3

 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Top 10% 100% 100% 80.6% 86.7% 100% 

Top 25% 93.0% 89.5% 35.1% 52.4% 84.0% 

Mean* 68.2% 58.5% 21.9% 28.1% 42.0% 

*from HAB data base 

Outcome 

Measures for 

Consideration: 

 Rate of mental health referrals 

 Mental health-related hospitalizations 

 Rate of suicide in the clinic population 

 Rate of mental health disorders being treated in the clinic population 

Basis for Selection and Placement in Group 3: 

Patients living with HIV infection must often cope with multiple social, psychiatric, and medical 

issues. The ability to cope with these issues can dramatically impact management of the disease. 

The initial evaluation should include an assessment of substance abuse, economic factors, social 
HAB HIV Core Clinical Performance Measures for 

Adult/Adolescent Clients: Group 3

Final: April 2009  Page 14 

support, mental illness and co-morbidities. 4

 

The measure was placed in Group 3 because feasibility of data collection can vary considerably 

across grantees. 

US Public Health Guidelines: 

“Patients living with HIV infection must often cope with multiple social, psychiatric, and medical 

issues. Thus, the (initial) evaluation should also include assessment of substance abuse, 

economic factors, social support, mental illness, co-morbidities, and other factors that are known 

to impair the ability to adhere to treatment and to alter outcomes. Once evaluated, these factors 

should be managed accordingly."5 

References/Notes: 

1

 “Clients” includes all clients aged 13 years and older. 

2

A “provider with prescribing privileges” is a health care professional who is certified in their 

jurisdiction to prescribe medications. 

3

 The components of the mental health indicator were broken down and implemented for the 

2005-2007 data. The Mental Health/Substance Use Subcommittee of the National HIVQUAL 

Clinical Advisory Committee include the following components for an annual Mental Health 

Screening for people with HIV: Cognitive function assessment, including mental status; 

Depression screening; Anxiety screening; Sleeping habits assessment; Appetite assessment; 

Domestic violence screening; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder screening; Psychiatric history 

(optional); Psychosocial assessment (optional). 

(http://www.hivguidelines.org/admin/files/qoc/hivqual/proj%20info/HQNatlAggScrs3Yrs.pdf

4

Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adult and Adolescents. Guidelines for the Use of 

Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1-Infected Adults and Adolescents. Department of Health and 

Human Services. January 29, 2008; 1-128. 

(http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/ContentFiles/AdultandAdolescentGL.pdf) 

5

Ibid