Evidence-based treatments in the field: a brief report on provider knowledge, implementation, and practice

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health
• Healthcare Services Research
• Treatment Implementation Science

Background:

• Evidence-based treatments (EBTs) are crucial for improving child mental health outcomes.
• Understanding EBTs' adoption in community settings is vital for effective service delivery.
• Previous research highlights challenges in translating research into practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine service providers' familiarity with, perceived effectiveness of, and implementation of EBTs for children.
• To identify factors influencing the adoption and use of EBTs in community mental health agencies.
• To inform future research and development in EBT dissemination and implementation.

Main Methods:

• A Web-based survey was administered to service providers in agencies linked to federal child mental health programs.
• Snowball sampling was used to recruit a sample of 616 service providers.
• Data collected focused on familiarity, perceived effectiveness, and implementation of EBTs.

Main Results:

• High levels of familiarity with and perceived effectiveness of EBTs were reported by providers.
• Generally high use of EBTs was observed, but protocol implementation was partial.
• Implementation varied based on agency mandates and the level of support provided.

Conclusions:

• Findings indicate a strong awareness and acceptance of EBTs among community providers.
• Partial implementation suggests that systemic factors, such as agency mandates and support, significantly impact EBT adoption.
• More complex models of diffusion, dissemination, and implementation are needed to enhance EBT uptake in real-world settings.