Implementation of the Wolverine Mental Health Program, Part 1: Adoption Phase

Area of Science:

• Implementation Science
• Clinical Psychology
• Youth Mental Health

Background:

• Residential treatment facilities (RTFs) are crucial for justice-involved youth but often lack evidence-based mental health interventions.
• Internalizing and externalizing disorders are prevalent in this population, necessitating effective treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the preimplementation phase of integrating cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in a youth residential treatment facility.
• To identify and address barriers to CBT implementation within the juvenile justice system.

Main Methods:

• A collaborative 5-year effort involving Wolverine Human Services (WHS), the Beck Institute, and an implementation science team.
• A needs assessment across two WHS sites identified 76 barriers, with 23 prioritized for action.
• Implementation teams utilized 10 strategies over 8 months to address prioritized barriers.

Main Results:

• All prioritized barriers to CBT implementation were successfully removed.
• The readiness of WHS for adopting CBT was significantly enhanced.
• The study demonstrated a feasible preimplementation model for RTFs.

Conclusions:

• A systematic preimplementation process can effectively prepare residential treatment facilities for evidence-based practice adoption.
• This model enhances the potential for successful implementation of interventions like CBT for justice-involved youth.
• Addressing specific barriers is critical for improving mental health care in youth RTFs.