Guidelines for implementing and adapting evidence-based interventions with marginalized youth in schools

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychology
• Public Health
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Marginalized youth face significant barriers to behavioral health care access.
• Disparities in mental health services place diverse youth at risk for psychosocial problems.
• School-based mental health services offer a pathway to improve care accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide guidelines for advancing culturally sensitive interventions (CSIs) when implementing evidence-based interventions (EBIs) with marginalized youth in schools.
• To promote equitable implementation and engagement with mental health services for diverse student populations.
• To inform more equitable practices and future research in youth mental health care.

Main Methods:

• Emphasis on inclusive strategies for advancing CSIs, including antiracist adaptations.
• Utilizing a community-based participatory research approach for EBI implementation.
• Recommending the Adapting Strategies for Promoting Implementation Reach and Equity framework.

Main Results:

• CSIs can improve engagement with and effectiveness of EBIs for marginalized youth.
• Antiracist adaptations and community-based approaches are key to equitable implementation.
• Tailoring interventions supports marginalized youth and their families in school-based settings.

Conclusions:

• Guidelines are offered to address disparities in youth mental health care.
• Culturally responsive services are crucial for marginalized youth in schools.
• This work motivates future studies on equitable school-based mental health services.