Empowered by Data: Mental Health Impact on Diverse Communities 

May 27, 2025

By Maegi Yang, MPH, Governance Manager

The importance of mental health continues to grow and has a profound impact on many people’s lives. Minnesota ranks 34 th in prevalence of mental illness and 14 th in accessibility to care in 2024 1 . Although there is higher access to mental health care, Minnesota still ranks on the higher end for prevalence. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, emphasizing its significance and necessity to understand how our diverse communities are impacted. Here at MN Community Measurement (MNCM), we strive to dig deeper into the data and provide a greater understanding of what is going on not only within provider organizations, but the communities being served.

Spotlight on Disparities in Depression Suite of Measures  

MNCM reports on the depression suite of measures, which includes six measures, tracking patient outcomes over six and twelve months from the initial PHQ-9 score and diagnosis. These measures evaluate follow-up PHQ-9 assessments, treatment response, and depression remission.

Analysis of the Adult depression data showed:

  • Residents in the Minneapolis, St. Cloud, and Willmar regions had lower rates for all six depression outcome measures compared to Minnesota Resident Average
  • Black and Hispanic/Latinx adults had lower rates for all six depression outcome measures compared to the statewide average.
  • Adults who are uninsured had lower rates than the statewide average on all six depression outcome measures.
  • Adults who are on Medicaid had lower rates on five of the six depression outcome measures.

Disparities exist in various communities, and it is common for individuals to exist within multiple of these areas.

Additional measures stratified by race and ethnicity can be found in our recently released report, 
Health Care in Minnesota: Summary Report on Quality, Disparities, and Cost  , and in MNCM’s Statewide Performance Hub .   

Why This Matters 

It is essential to measure depression prevalence because it supports providers in guiding treatment and care and individuals in assessing mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. The depression suite has notoriously been the most challenging measures for providers to address because of the complexity of identifying and tracking patients. Another layer that makes it hard to support individuals is the stigma surrounding mental health. It continues to exist in all communities, often leading to individuals delaying or not seeking care even if it was available 2 .

As a state, it is important for us to continue to identify at risk individuals and ensure there is continuation in monitoring them. Depression is not a linear line, which is why it is critical to assess patients for a prolonged period. However, it is equally important to have diverse resources available for patients, as no two patients or treatments are the same. This includes having cultural and linguistic resources, or support groups readily accessible 3 . By identifying the communities at risk, we can continue to address the gaps in care, resources, and our commitment to serve them to our highest potential.

Health Awareness Months 

Does your organization have a special event or health initiative project that relates to one of these health topics ? We’d love to feature it in our blog! Please submit information about your event/project using this form.

References: 


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October 20, 2026
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — October 20, 2026 — MN Community Measurement (MNCM) today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Koble-MN's health information exchange (HIE) business line and the MNSHINE brand from The Koble Group. On November 1, MNCM will officially change its legal name to Minnesota Statewide Health Information Network and Exchange, known as MNSHINE. The transition follows a special joint meeting of MNCM's Board of Directors and members on October 12, at which the Board unanimously approved resolutions authorizing the acquisition, changing the organization's legal name, and establishing a new HIE Advisory Committee. Members unanimously adopted the name change and related amendments to the organization's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. An intentional decision to collaborate The transition is the result of an intentional decision by Minnesota health care leaders to collaborate on a health data landscape that makes sense: one that reduces redundancy, increases efficiency, and delivers needed information to those with legal authorization to receive it, where and when it is needed, without unnecessary administrative barriers. "This is not simply a merger of services. It is a deliberate choice to build the kind of health data infrastructure Minnesota deserves," said Liz Cinqueonce, President and CEO of MNCM. "For too long, organizations across our state have had to navigate duplicative systems and disconnected data. By bringing measurement and exchange together, we can reduce that burden and make sure the right information reaches the right people at the right time, with patient privacy protections firmly in place, so they can focus on improving care." The effort builds on months of work by the Executive Leadership Council, convened earlier this year by MNCM, the Minnesota Electronic Health Records Consortium, and Koble to explore how a sustainable, statewide health data utility could serve the public interest. "Minnesota is at its best when we take on difficult challenges together and align on solutions," said Mark Steffen, MD, Chair of the MNCM Board of Directors. "The Board's unanimous support reflects a shared conviction that our future depends on organizations keeping their unique strengths and missions while participating in shared infrastructure and governance. That balance is what enables greater coordination, transparency, efficiency, and impact." A trusted backbone for Minnesota's health data Minnesota's future health data ecosystem is one in which organizations retain their unique strengths and missions while participating in shared infrastructure and governance. The vision for MNSHINE is to become the health data utility, governed in the public interest with strong privacy protections and transparency, that serves as the trusted backbone connecting these efforts, ensuring data can be used more effectively to improve health, wellbeing, and outcomes for all Minnesotans. By bringing the measurement of health care quality, cost, and utilization together with the infrastructure that moves clinical data between organizations, MNSHINE will be positioned to support providers, payers, public health, researchers, policymakers, and communities alike, each within the limits of applicable law and participant agreements. The goal is healthier people, stronger communities, greater equity, better public decisions, smarter investments, and a health system that learns continuously. Continuity for HIE participants HIE services will continue without interruption. To ensure continuity of leadership and relationships, Chad Peterson, CEO of The Koble Group, has joined MNCM as Senior Vice President of HIE Services. “For HIE participants, this transition opens new possibilities,” said Peterson. “When exchange and measurement are guided by one mission, we can reduce duplication for providers and better support care coordination, while holding firm to the privacy protections patients expect. I’m proud to help lead that work, and I’m committed to making sure every participant feels supported as we grow.” MNCM has also established the HIE Advisory Committee as a standing committee of its Board of Directors. The committee continues the work of the Koble-MN Advisory Committee and will advise the Board on interoperability, participant relationships, privacy, security, data governance, and health equity. Jennifer Lamprecht of Sanford Health and Dr. Justine Mrosak of Hennepin Healthcare have been appointed to co-chair the committee, which will include consumer representatives alongside members representing a cross-section of Minnesota's health care community. Protecting patient privacy This transition changes who operates Minnesota's health information exchange. It does not change how patient information is protected or who may access it. MNSHINE will continue to operate in compliance with HIPAA and the Minnesota Health Records Act, which is among the strongest patient-consent laws in the nation, and in compliance with the participant agreements that govern how information is exchanged. Health information exchange and measurement will each remain governed by their own legal and contractual requirements, and bringing them into one organization does not change the purposes for which patient information may be used.
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