Telehealth Outreach Program for Child Traumatic Stress: Strategies for Long-Term Sustainability

Area of Science:

• Implementation Science
• Telehealth in Mental Health
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Background:

• High rates of youth trauma and mental health disorders exist, with disparities in care for minority and rural youth.
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for children.
• Telehealth delivery of TF-CBT can mitigate access barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe implementation variations of a telehealth TF-CBT program.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to program implementation post-training.
• To inform strategies for intervention sustainability and wider adoption.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods approach utilizing interviews and surveys with clinical site leaders.
• Guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) model.
• Data collected on telehealth implementation processes, facilitators, and barriers.

Main Results:

• Varied adoption and penetration of the telehealth TF-CBT program across clinical sites.
• Facilitators included leadership buy-in, community needs, and training resources.
• Barriers comprised funding, logistical resources, and child/family engagement.

Conclusions:

• Feedback informed strategies for increased adoption and sustainment of telehealth TF-CBT.
• Key strategies include ongoing support, enhanced stakeholder training, and program adaptations.
• The ultimate goal is to improve access to quality mental health care for underserved youth.