Lessons From Implementing Research-Supported Practices to Address Psychiatric Illnesses in Two Countries

Across the globe, psychiatric illnesses are common, painful, often disabling, and sometimes deadly. Although well-researched practices exist to address these disorders, most people with psychiatric illnesses do not have access to care that has been demonstrated to be effective. Practical clinical leadership experience and engagement in evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation research in Colombia and the United States have demonstrated that multisite EBP implementation is possible and that effective implementation improves outcomes for people who develop psychiatric illnesses. Implementation requires financial and policy support but is effective only if onsite operational leaders actively overcome practical, sometimes site-specific barriers. Operational leaders have the greatest impact when they focus on changing the flow of work to help clinicians offer the desired EBP in their day-to-day care. Discovery science may bring new solutions in the future, but implementing practices that have already been demonstrated to be effective can relieve patients' suffering now.