The overarching goal of this continuation application is to improve implementation of school-based mental health services in New York State. We propose to adapt and pilot a set of measures to assess readiness for adoption of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in schools, and then adapt and pilot test a theory-driven intervention for strengthening family involvement with schools using these measures to assess readiness. This continuation application extends the work begun in our 1-year R24 state-planning grant on readiness to adopt EBPs in child specialty mental health (MH) clinics, where we developed a typology and tool to assess dimensions of readiness among families, clinicians, administrators, and policy-makers. Data from this pilot study identified significant discrepancies between families and clinicians in the acceptability of EBPs, a key dimension of readiness. To address these discrepancies, New York State's Office of Mental Health, in collaboration with the Mental Health Association, Columbia University, and Mount Sinai School of medicine, is implementing two theory-driven interventions to facilitate adoption of EBPs among families and clinicians in specialty MH settings: a manualized family empowerment program to increase caregiver's knowledge about EBPs and self-efficacy; and an engagement program for clinicians to improve outreach with families. This proposed continuation study builds on our original planning grant by expanding our examination of readiness to adopt EBPs within clinic settings to school settings. The overall goal will be addressed through three specific aims: (1) to adapt, pilot, and refine measurement of organizational and stakeholder readiness to adopt MH services for families, teachers, school MH staff, and principals; (2) to adapt a theory-driven empowerment and engagement intervention for improving the readiness to adopt MH services for schools; (3) to pilot test the feasibility of implementing the intervention and estimate intervention parameters (e.g., effect size, attrition rates, response rates) associated with implementation.
| Olin, S Serene; Shen, Sa; Rodriguez, James et al. (2015) Parent Depression and Anger in Peer-Delivered Parent Support Services. J Child Fam Stud 24:3383-3395 |
| Olin, S Serene; Hoagwood, Kimberly E; Rodriguez, James et al. (2010) The Application of Behavior Change Theory to Family-Based Services: Improving Parent Empowerment in Children's Mental Health. J Child Fam Stud 19:462-470 |
| Olin, S Serene; Hoagwood, Kimberly E; Rodriguez, James et al. (2010) Impact of Empowerment Training on the Professional Work of Family Peer Advocates. Child Youth Serv Rev 32:1426-1429 |
