Engaging stakeholders for change: A learning community methodology for implementing evidence-based, trauma-focused...

Advances in implementation science have encouraged novel methods for disseminating and implementing evidence-based treatments. Mental health services offered to trauma-exposed students on college campuses are characterized by unique contextual, developmental, and cultural factors that must be considered to effectively disseminate and implement trauma-focused, evidence-based treatments (TF-EBTs). Informed by novel implementation designs, this project utilized a strategic stakeholder engagement method of creating a learning community to identify and adapt a TF-EBT for use in university counseling centers (UCCs).

Project leads convened campus and community stakeholders included UCC clinicians, administrators, student life professionals, and students, to join researchers in a reciprocal collaboration to work toward dissemination and implementation. These stakeholders participated in a learning community that reviewed, selected, and adapted a TF-EBT and other tools for dissemination and implementation to UCCs and other campus professionals.

There were a number of benefits and challenges of using the learning community as a method of dissemination and implementation. Benefits included context-specific knowledge sharing, clarification of the scope of trauma among college students, creation of helpful tools, emphasis on cultural competence in TF-EBTs, and facilitating connections between professionals. Challenges included balancing flexibility with progress toward project goals and recruitment and retention of stakeholders.

Stakeholder engagement is an integral component of dissemination and implementation efforts. The learning community method allowed for stakeholders to take an active part in adapting a TF-EBT for UCCs and can be utilized in other settings to aid in adoption and utilization of evidence-based treatments. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).