Open AccessFactors Influencing Implementation of Evidence-Based Mental Health Interventions for Infants and Young Children
Author(s) -
Genevieve Skale,
Hannah Perez,
Marian E. Williams
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of behavioral health services and research/the journal of behavioral health services and research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.713
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1556-3308
pISSN - 1094-3412
DOI - 10.1007/s11414-020-09694-5
Subject(s) - mental health , fidelity , evidence based practice , health psychology , referral , psychological intervention , medicine , nursing , attrition , health informatics , public health , health administration , population , medicaid , psychology , health care , family medicine , psychiatry , environmental health , alternative medicine , electrical engineering , dentistry , pathology , engineering , economics , economic growth
Large-scale efforts have been made to adopt evidence-based practices (EBPs) for young children within community mental health settings. The current study investigated the implementation of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and Child-Parent Psychotherapy using an online survey of 20 program managers representing 16 birth-to-five mental health agencies serving an ethnically diverse Medicaid population throughout a large urban county. Survey questions addressed intake and referral processes, training and supervision in EBPs, treatment fidelity, and patient outcomes/satisfaction. Results indicated that both clinical judgment and established decision-trees were used to select treatment approaches and that supervision, consultation, and fidelity monitoring were used to support fidelity to the models. Participants cited intensive EBP training processes, staff turnover, and patient attrition as barriers to sustainability. Implications regarding implementation of EBPs for infants and young children are discussed, including issues related to patient care, training and supervision, treatment fidelity, program sustainability, and barriers to system change.