Applying Team Charters to Improve Distance Training Outcomes for Autism Interventions in Public Mental Health Services and Schools
Principal Investigator(s): Lauren Brookman-Frazee, Ph.D. UC San Diego, Aubyn Stahmer, Ph.D. UC Davis
The purpose of this R34 is to develop and test a team charter-enhanced implementation strategy for distance training to increase the reach and effectiveness of two evidence-based intervention practices (EBPs) for autism across two public service systems. Our research groups have adapted, tested, and implemented autism EBPs across two service systems: AIM HI (“An Individualized Mental Health Intervention for Autism”) in publicly funded mental health services and CPRT (“Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching”) in public school classrooms. The implementation strategy appears to be less effective when EBP training is provided from a distance, resulting in fewer providers completing training. Thus, geographic distance is a barrier for children and families needing care, and for high-quality provider training. Although there are many advantages to distance training, and this will be increasingly required with the sustained impact of COVID-19, preliminary data from our current trials reveal several challenges with providing high-quality EBP training and ongoing consultation/coaching remotely. Distance training requires effective and efficient coordination between individuals with different roles and backgrounds. Thus, we propose to co-create and pilot test a team charter-enhanced implementation strategy using “team charters” to increase the reach of Autism EBPs through distance training.
Funding Information: NIMH, P50, MH126231
Study time period: 2022 - 2027
Enhancing team effectiveness for a collaborative school-based intervention for ADHD
Principal Investigator(s): Lauren Brookman-Frazee, Ph.D. UC San Diego, Linda Pfiffner, Ph.D. UC San Francisco, Miguel Villodas, Ph.D. San Diego State University
The IN STEP R01 research project aims to integrate team-based implementation strategies to enhance implementation of the Collaborative Life Skills Program (CLS), an established school-based intervention for children with ADHD in grades 2-5. We will tailor three empirically-supported team development interventions, Team Charters, Team Communication Training (Student Handoff Protocols), and Team Performance Monitoring, and integrate them with the CLS protocol to create a team-enhanced CLS implementation protocol (CLS-T). We will conduct a Hybrid Type III cluster randomized trial in 24 schools in two large urban school districts, to evaluate whether CLS-T implementation results in improved implementation outcomes and child outcomes in comparison to standard CLS implementation.
Funding Information: NIMH, R01, MH126231-02
Study time period: 2022 - 2027
EXamining interventions to PRomote Executive function and Social Skills
Principal Investigator(s): Kelsey Dickson, Ph.D. San Diego State University, Laura Hall, Ph.D. San Diego State University, Bonnie Kraemer, Ph.D. San Diego State University
Co- Prinicpal Investigator(s): Jesscia Steinbrenner, Ph.D. University of North Carolina, Ann Sam, Ph.D. University of North Carolina, Samual Odom, Ph.D. University of North Carolina
The goal of this project is to examine the initial randomized comparative efficacy of two school-based programs (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills and the Unstuck and On Target) when implemented in public, middle school settings. An additional aim of this project is conduct a simultaneous process evaluation of the RCT conducted as part of the larger project.
Funding Information: U.S. Department of Education, Goal 2, R324A210163
Study time period: 2021 - 2025
Redesigning an Autism Evidence-Based Practice Implementation Toolkit for Middle and High Schools
Principal Investigator(s): Kelsey Dickson, Ph.D. San Diego State University, Jill Locke, Ph.D. University of Washington
Co-Investigator(s): Amy Drahota, Ph.D. Michigan State University, Scott Roesch, Ph.D. San Diego State University
The ACT SMART implementation toolkit was developed and shown effective in targeting autism EBP adoption and decision-making in community settings. ACT SMART has immense potential to improve autism EBP decision-making, adoption, and implementation in schools; however, systematic and iterative redesign is necessary to optimize its fit to the unique context of public schools. Thus this project aims to: Aim 1. Engage stakeholders to identify targets for ACT SMART redesign to optimize its fit for middle and high school providers that work with autistic adolescents. Aim 2. Conduct prototyping and usability field testing of the refined ACT SMART and iteratively refine to ensure usability, feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness for use in schools.
Funding Information: NIMH, R21, R21MH13079
Study time period: 2022 - 2024
Team Effectiveness Factors in the Implementation of Autism Evidence-Based Practices
Principal Investigator(s): Allison Jobin, Ph.D. California State Univeristy San Marcos, Lauren Brookman-Frazee, Ph.D. UC San Diego, Aubyn Stahmer, Ph.D. UC Davis
Co-Investigator(s): Elizabeth Rangel, M.A. UC San Diego, Patricia Schetter, M.Ed. Placer County Office of Education, Katherine Williams, Ph.D., Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego
The purpose of this R03 is to identify specific team-based inputs and processes of evidence-based practice (EBP) leadership teams associated with effective implementation of autism EBPs in community settings. Despite the importance of leadership teams in children’s mental health and education services, there is minimal research on effective teams for autism EBP implementation. Team effectiveness research (TER) specifies team-level factors as key levers impacting outcomes. Little research has attempted to understand these factors and how they are involved within EBP leadership teams, which has potential to improve their impact and scalability. Applying a community-partnered approach, this project capitalizes on existing data from statewide implementation trials to improve understanding of the role of teams in EBP implementation outcomes and has the potential to inform development of team-based implementation strategies to further promote effective autism EBP implementation efforts. We will apply secondary coding and analysis of team characteristics and in-group process data from a team-based EBP implementation strategy across two service systems to: (1) Identify team inputs associated with implementation outcomes, and (2) Identify team processes associated with implementation outcomes. Together, findings related to potent team-based factors (i.e. team inputs, key processes) will support a larger-scale project to develop and test an EBP implementation team toolkit for school and youth mental health services in collaboration with community partners.
Funding Information: NIMH, P50, MH126231
Study time period: 2023 - 2024