Evidence-based Practices Addressed in Community-based Children's Mental Health Clinical Supervision

Clinical supervision is the principal method of training for psychotherapeutic practice, however there is virtually no research on supervision practice in community settings. Of particular interest is the role supervision might play in facilitating implementation of evidence-based (EB) care in routine care settings.

This study examines the format and functions of clinical supervision sessions in routine care, as well as the extent to which supervision addresses psychotherapeutic practice elements common to EB care for children with disruptive behavior problems, who represent the majority of patients served in publicly-funded routine care settings.

Supervisors (n=7) and supervisees (n=12) from four publicly-funded community-based child mental health clinics reported on 130 supervision sessions.

Supervision sessions were primarily individual in-person meetings lasting one hour. The most common functions included case conceptualization and therapy interventions. Coverage of practice elements common to EB treatments was brief.

Despite the fact that most children presenting to public mental health services are referred for disruptive behavior problems, supervision sessions are infrequently focused on practice elements consistent with EB treatments for this population. Supervision is a promising avenue through which training in EB practices could be supported to improve the quality of care for children in community-based "usual care" clinics.