A Mixed-Methods Exploration of the Implementation of Policies That Earmarked Taxes for Behavioral Health.

Policy Points Earmarked tax policies for behavioral health are perceived as having positive impacts related to increasing flexible funding, suggesting benefits to expand this financing approach. Implementation challenges related to these earmarked taxes included tax base volatility that impedes long-term service delivery planning and inequities in the distribution of tax revenue. Recommendations for designing or revising earmarked tax policies include developing clear guidelines and support systems to manage the administrative aspects of earmarked tax programs, cocreating reporting and oversight structures with system and service delivery agents, and selecting revenue streams that are relatively stable across years. CONTEXT: Over 200 cities and counties in the United States have implemented policies earmarking tax revenue for behavioral health services. This mixed-methods study was conducted with the aim of characterizing perceptions of the impacts of these earmarked tax policies, strengths and weaknesses of tax policy designs, and factors that influence decision making about how tax revenue is allocated for services. METHODS: Study data came from surveys completed by 274 officials involved in behavioral health earmarked tax policy implementation and 37 interviews with officials in a sample of jurisdictions with these taxes-California (n = 16), Washington (n = 12), Colorado (n = 6), and Iowa (n = 3). Interviews primarily explored perceptions of the advantages and drawbacks of the earmarked tax, perceptions of tax policy design, and factors influencing decisions about revenue allocation. FINDINGS: A total of 83% of respondents strongly agreed that it was better to have the tax than not, 73.2% strongly agreed that the tax increased flexibility to address complex behavioral health needs, and 65.1% strongly agreed that the tax increased the number of people served by evidence-based practices. Only 43.3%, however, strongly agreed that it was easy to satisfy tax-reporting requirements. Interviews revealed that the taxes enabled funding for services and implementation supports, such as training in the delivery of evidence-based practices, and supplemented mainstream funding sources (e.g., Medicaid). However, some interviewees also reported challenges related to volatility of funding, inequities in the distribution of tax revenue, and, in some cases, administratively burdensome tax reporting. Decisions about tax revenue allocation were influenced by goals such as reducing behavioral health care inequities, being responsive to community needs, addressing constraints of mainstream funding sources, and, to a lesser degree, supporting services considered to be evidence based. CONCLUSIONS: Earmarked taxes are a promising financing strategy to improve access to, and quality of, behavioral health services by supplementing mainstream state and federal financing.

Adaptation of the brainwriting premortem technique to inform the co-creation of COVID-19 testing strategies in underserved communities in South San Diego.

INTRODUCTION: Meaningful engagement of partners in co-creating and refining health-related programs can increase the initial uptake, sustained implementation, broad reach, and effectiveness of these programs. This is especially important for underserved communities where resources are limited and need to be prioritized. Brainwriting premortem is a novel qualitative approach to partner engagement that combines the strengths of individual idea generation with the concept of premortem exercise that addresses failure points prior to the implementation of new programs. METHODS: An adapted form of brainwriting premortem was used to inform iterative refinements to a COVID-19 testing program at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in San Diego. Patients and providers from the FQHC participated in interviews at two time points (early- and mid-implementation of the program). Interview data were transcribed, translated, and analyzed using a rapid qualitative approach. Key themes and sub-themes were identified and used to inform refinements to the program. RESULTS: A total of 11 patients (7 Spanish- and 4 English-speaking) and 8 providers participated in the brainwriting premortem interviews. Key themes related to possible reasons for COVID-19 testing program failure: advertising/sharing information; access to testing; handling of test results; staff and patient safety; patient beliefs and views regarding the SARS-CoV-2 virus; and COVID-19 testing options offered. Proposed solutions were offered for the key failures except for patient beliefs and views regarding the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Additional solutions offered were related to education, physical operations, and recruitment strategies. Real-time changes to the program flow and components were made in response to 7 suggestions from patients and 11 from providers. Changes related to the process of returning results were the most common, and included sending results via email with distinct workflows based on the test result. CONCLUSION: The implementation of the adapted brainwriting premortem technique allowed us to incorporate the perspective of key partners in the delivery and iterative refinement of the COVID-19 testing program. This was an effective tool in the context of an FQHC and can be a promising and approach to incorporate iterative input from patients and providers to ensure successful program implementation. Future studies, particularly those requiring rapid response to public health emergencies, should consider the use of this technique.

Variability in the Integration of Peers in a Multi-site Digital Mental Health Innovation Project.

Peer support specialists ("peers") who have the lived experience of, and are in recovery from, mental health challenges are increasingly being integrated into mental health care as a reimbursable service across the US. This study describes the ways peers were integrated into Help@Hand, a multi-site innovation project that engaged peers throughout efforts to develop and offer digital mental health interventions across counties/cities ("sites") in California. Using a mixed methods design, we collected quantitative data via quarterly online surveys, and qualitative data via semi-annual semi-structured phone interviews with key informants from Help@Hand sites. Quantitative data were summarized as descriptive findings and qualitative data from interviews were analyzed using rapid qualitative analysis methods. In the final analytic phase, interview quotes were used to illustrate the complex realities underlying quantitative responses. 117 quarterly surveys and 46 semi-annual interviews were completed by key informants from 14 sites between September 2020 and January 2023. Peers were integrated across diverse activities for support and implementation of digital mental health interventions, including development of training and educational materials (78.6% of sites), community outreach (64.3%), technology testing (85.7%), technology piloting (90.9%), digital literacy training (71.4%), device distribution (63.6%), technical assistance (72.7%), and cross-site collaboration (66.7%). Peer-engaged activities shifted over time, reflecting project phases. Peer-provided digital literacy training and technology-related support were key ingredients for project implementations. This study indicates the wide range of ways peers can be integrated into digital mental health intervention implementations. Considering contextual readiness for peer integration may enhance their engagement into programmatic activities.

Earmarked Taxes for Mental Health Services in the United States: A Local and State Legal Mapping Study.

Policy Points Local governments are increasingly adopting policies that earmark taxes for mental health services, and approximately 30% of the US population lives in a jurisdiction with such a policy. Policies earmarking taxes for mental health services are heterogenous in their design, spending requirements, and oversight. In many jurisdictions, the annual per capita revenue generated by these taxes exceeds that of some major federal funding sources for mental health. CONTEXT: State and local governments have been adopting taxes that earmark (i.e., dedicate) revenue for mental health. However, this emergent financing model has not been systematically assessed. We sought to identify all jurisdictions in the United States with policies earmarking taxes for mental health services and characterize attributes of these taxes. METHODS: A legal mapping study was conducted. Literature reviews and 11 key informant interviews informed search strings. We then searched legal databases (HeinOnline, Cheetah tax repository) and municipal data sources. We collected information on the year the tax went into effect, passage by ballot initiative (yes/no), tax base, tax rate, and revenue generated annually (gross and per capita). FINDINGS: We identified 207 policies earmarking taxes for mental health services (95.7% local, 4.3% state, 95.7% passed via ballot initiative). Property taxes (73.9%) and sales taxes/fees (25.1%) were most common. There was substantial heterogeneity in tax design, spending requirements, and oversight. Approximately 30% of the US population lives in a jurisdiction with a tax earmarked for mental health, and these taxes generate over $3.57 billion annually. The median per capita annual revenue generated by these taxes was $18.59 (range = $0.04-$197.09). Per capita annual revenue exceeded $25.00 in 63 jurisdictions (about five times annual per capita spending for mental health provided by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). CONCLUSIONS: Policies earmarking taxes for mental health services are diverse in design and are an increasingly common local financing strategy. The revenue generated by these taxes is substantial in many jurisdictions.

Real-World Adoption of Mental Health Support Among Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Analysis of the California Health Interview Survey.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to examine: (a) the extent to which patterns of adoption of counseling services and digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) shifted in recent years (2019-2021); (b) the impact of distress on adoption of mental health support; and (c) reasons related to adolescents' low adoption of DMHIs when experiencing distress. METHODS: Data were from three cohorts of adolescents aged 12-17 years (n = 847 in 2019; n = 1,365 in 2020; n = 1,169 in 2021) recruited as part of the California Health Interview Survey. We estimated logistic regression models to examine the likelihood of using mental health support as a function of psychological distress, sociodemographic characteristics, and cohorts. We also analyzed adolescents' self-reported reasons for not trying DMHIs as a function of distress. RESULTS: The proportion of adolescents reporting elevated psychological distress (∼50%) was higher than those adopting counseling services (<20%) or DMHIs (<10%). A higher level of distress was associated with a greater likelihood of receiving counseling (OR = 1.15), and using DMHIs to connect with a professional (Odds ratio (OR) = 1.11) and for self-help (OR = 1.17). Among those experiencing high distress, adolescents' top reason for not adopting an online tool was a lack of perceived need (19.2%). CONCLUSION: Adolescents' main barriers to DMHI adoption included a lack of perceived need, which may be explained by a lack of mental health literacy. Thoughtful marketing and dissemination efforts are needed to increase mental health awareness and normalize adoption of counseling services and DMHIs.

Using ethnographic approaches to document, evaluate, and facilitate virtual community-engaged implementation research.

BACKGROUND: Community Advisory Boards (CABs) have been frequently used to engage diverse partners to inform research projects. Yet, evaluating the quality of engagement has not been routine. We describe a multi-method ethnographic approach documenting and assessing partner engagement in two "virtual" CABs, for which we conducted all meetings remotely. METHODS: Two research projects for increasing equitable COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and clinical trial participation for underserved communities involved remote CAB meetings. Thirty-three partners representing 17 community groups participated in 15 sessions across the two CABs facilitated by a social change organization. We developed ethnographic documentation forms to assess multiple aspects of CAB member engagement (e.g., time spent speaking, modality used, types of interactions). Documenters were trained to observe CAB sub-groups via virtual sessions. Debriefing with the documentation team after CAB meetings supported quality assurance and process refinement. CAB members completed a brief validated survey after each meeting to assess the quality and frequency of engagement. Content and rapid thematic analysis were used to analyze documentation data. Quantitative data were summarized as frequencies and means. Qualitative and quantitative findings were triangulated. RESULTS: A total of 4,540 interactions were identified across 15 meetings. The most frequent interaction was providing information (44%), followed by responding (37-38%). The quality and frequency of stakeholder engagement were rated favorably (average 4.7 of 5). Most CAB members (96%) reported good/excellent engagement. Specific comments included appreciation for the diversity of perspectives represented by the CAB members and suggestions for improved live interpretation. Debriefing sessions led to several methodological refinements for the documentation process and forms. CONCLUSION: We highlight key strategies for documenting and assessing community engagement. Our methods allowed for rich ethnographic data collection that refined our work with community partners. We recommend ongoing trainings, including debriefing sessions and routinely reviewed assessment of data to strengthen meaningful community engagement.

Developing Relational Coordination: A Qualitative Study of Outpatient Mental Health Teams.

Previous studies have shown Relational Coordination improves team functioning in healthcare settings. The aim of this study was to examine the relational factors needed to support team functioning in outpatient mental health care teams with low staffing ratios. We interviewed interdisciplinary mental health teams that had achieved high team functioning despite low staffing ratios in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. We conducted qualitative interviews with 21 interdisciplinary team members across three teams within two medical centers. We used directed content analysis to code the transcripts with a priori codes based on the Relational Coordination dimensions, while also being attentive to emergent themes. We found that all seven dimensions of Relational Coordination were relevant to improved team functioning: frequent communication, timely communication, accurate communication, problem-solving communication, shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect. Participants also described these dimensions as reciprocal processes that influenced each other. In conclusion, relational Coordination dimensions can play pivotal roles in improving team functioning both individually and in combination. Communication dimensions were a catalyst for developing relationship dimensions; once relationships were developed, there was a mutually reinforcing cycle between communication and relationship dimensions. Our results suggest that establishing high-functioning mental health care teams, even in low-staffed settings, requires encouraging frequent communication within teams. Moreover, attention should be given to ensuring appropriate representation of disciplines among leadership and defining roles of team members when teams are formed.

Promoting high-functioning mental health treatment teams in the context of low staffing ratios.

BACKGROUND: Many previous studies of health care teamwork have taken place in clinical teams with high staffing ratios (i.e., high ratios of staff to patients). PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify clinicians' viewpoints of foundational resources necessary to support good team functioning in the context of low staffing ratios. METHODOLOGY: We used administrative data, validated with local mental health chiefs, to identify mental health teams that had achieved high team functioning despite low staffing ratios in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. Guided by a recently developed model of team effectiveness, the Team Effectiveness Pyramid, we conducted qualitative interviews with 21 team members across three teams within two medical centers. Interview questions focused on the resources needed to support good team functioning despite low staffing ratios. We used directed content analysis to analyze results. RESULTS: We found there were several domains of relevant resources: material, staffing, temporal, organizational, and psychological. These represent an expansion of the domains originally included in the Team Effectiveness Pyramid. CONCLUSIONS: Within the five domains, we identified key tensions to be addressed when forming teams, including the balances between providing care for new versus established patients, emphasizing shared caseloads within the team versus matching patients to clinicians based on individual expertise, and establishing reporting structures by clinical discipline versus team membership. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Establishing high-functioning health care teams in the context of low staffing ratios requires attention to key resource domains and fundamental trade-offs in how teams are structured.

Hepatitis B infection and risk factors among pregnant women and their male partners in the Baby Shower Programme in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the population prevalence and determinants of hepatitis B (Hep B) status, and status discordance, among pregnant women and their male partners in Nigeria. METHODS: Cross-sectional study assessing the seroprevalence of Hep B virus in a cohort of 16 920 pregnant women and their male partners in northcentral Nigeria. Rapid HBsAg antibody test was used for Hep B diagnosis. Demographic, socio-economic and behavioural information was collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires and evaluated as determinants of Hep B status and couple status discordance using logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 16 920 participants who had a Hep B test result, 6750 couples and 1316 discordant couples were identified. The prevalence of Hep B among all participants was 10.9%, with lower prevalence among pregnant women (10.2%) than their male partners (11.9%), P < 0.001. The prevalence of Hep B sero-discordance among couples was 19.5% (1316/6750). Younger age, prior Hep B testing and a prior positive Hep B test increased the odds of Hep B infection while being a woman decreased the odds of Hep B among all participants, and among couples. Furthermore, polygamy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19-1.87), prior Hep B testing (AOR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.14-4.97) and a prior positive Hep B test result were significant determinants of status discordance among the participating couples. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Hep B among pregnant women and their male partners in northcentral Nigeria is high. A large-scale intervention is required to reduce Hep B prevalence in this setting.

OBJECTIFS: Déterminer la prévalence dans la population et les déterminants du statut de l'hépatite B (Hep B) et de la discordance de statut chez les femmes enceintes et leurs partenaires masculins au Nigéria. MÉTHODES: Etude transversale évaluant la séroprévalence du virus Hep B dans une cohorte de 16.920 femmes enceintes et leurs partenaires masculins dans le centre-nord du Nigéria. Un test rapide des anticorps anti-HBsAg a été utilisé pour le diagnostic de l'Hep B. Des informations démographiques, socio-économiques et comportementales ont été recueillies au moyen de questionnaires administrés par les intervieweurs et évaluées en tant que déterminants du statut Hep B et de la discordance du statut de couple à l'aide de la régression logistique. RÉSULTATS: Sur 16.920 participants qui avaient un résultat de dépistage de l'Hep B, 6.750 couples et 1.316 couples discordants ont été identifiés. La prévalence de l'Hep B chez tous les participants était de 10,9%, avec une prévalence plus faible chez les femmes enceintes (10,2%) que chez leurs partenaires masculins (11,9%), p <0,001. La prévalence de la séro-discordance de l'Hep B chez les couples était de 19,5% (1.316/6.750). Un âge plus jeune, un dépistage antérieur de l'Hep B et un test Hep B positif antérieur augmentaient les risques d'infection à l'Hep B alors que le sexe féminin diminuait les risques d'Hep B chez tous les participants et parmi les couples. De plus, la polygamie (rapport de cotes ajusté [AOR]: 1,49, intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95%: 1,19-1,87), un dépistage antérieur de l'Hep B (AOR: 2,38 ; IC95%: 1,14-4,97) et un test hépatique B positif antérieur résultat étaient des déterminants significatifs de la discordance de statut parmi les couples participants. CONCLUSION: La prévalence de l'Hep B chez les femmes enceintes et leurs partenaires masculins dans le centre-nord du Nigéria est élevée. Une intervention à grande échelle est nécessaire pour réduire la prévalence de l'Hep B dans cette région.

Mental Health Services for Autistic Individuals Across the Lifespan: Recent Advances and Current Gaps.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This synthesis of recent mental health services research with autistic individuals presents significant advances, current gaps, and recommendations for improving mental healthcare for this population. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent advances include improved understanding of co-occurring mental health conditions among autistic individuals, a growing evidence base for interventions to address them, the development and implementation of new service models to support mental health for this population, and a substantial increase in mental health services and implementation research focused on autism. Ongoing challenges include a lack of mental health interventions designed for community implementation with autistic individuals, limited workforce capacity, complex and disconnected service systems, and racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in accessibility and quality of mental health services. Despite the advances in our understanding of mental health needs and mental health services for autistic individuals, several critical gaps remain. We encourage future efforts to develop and test interventions that can be used in community settings, train and incentivize the workforce to provide them, realign policies and funding with best practice, and embrace an equity-focused approach to autism research and care.

Advancing discussion of ethics in mixed methods health services research.

BACKGROUND: To describe the ethical issues and experiences of scientists conducting mixed methods health services research and to advance empirical and conceptual discussion on ethical integrity in mixed methods health research. METHODS: The study was conducted with 64 scholars, faculty and consultants from the NIH-funded Mixed Methods Research Training Program (MMRTP) for the Health Sciences. This was a cross-sectional study. Survey results were analyzed using descriptive statistics to characterize responses and open coding to summarize strategies about eight ethical mixed methods research issues. Respondents completed an online survey to elicit experiences related to eight ethical issues (informed consent, confidentiality, data management, burden, safety, equitable recruitment, communication, and dissemination) and strategies for addressing them. RESULTS: Only about one-third of respondents thought their research ethics training helped them plan, conduct, or report mixed methods research. The most frequently occurring ethical issues were participant burden, dissemination and equitable recruitment (> 70% endorsement). Despite occurring frequently, < 50% of respondents rated each ethical issue as challenging. The most challenging ethical issues were related to managing participant burden, communication, and dissemination. Strategies reported to address ethical issues were largely not specific or unique to mixed methods with the exception of strategies to mitigate participant burden and, to a lesser degree, to facilitate equitable recruitment and promote dissemination of project results. CONCLUSIONS: Mixed methods health researchers reported encountering ethical issues often yet varying levels of difficulty and effectiveness in the strategies used to mitigate ethical issues. This study highlights some of the unique challenges faced by mixed methods researchers to plan for and appropriately respond to arising ethical issues such as managing participant burden and confidentiality across data sources and utilizing effective communication and dissemination strategies particularly when working with a multidisciplinary research team. As one of the first empirical studies to examine mixed methods research ethics, our findings highlight the need for greater attention to ethics in health services mixed methods research and training.

Rise in Use of Digital Mental Health Tools and Technologies in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Accompanying the rising rates of reported mental distress during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a reported increase in the use of digital technologies to manage health generally, and mental health more specifically. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to systematically examine whether there was a COVID-19 pandemic-related increase in the self-reported use of digital mental health tools and other technologies to manage mental health. METHODS: We analyzed results from a survey of 5907 individuals in the United States using Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk); the survey was administered during 4 week-long periods in 2020 and survey respondents were from all 50 states and Washington DC. The first set of analyses employed two different logistic regression models to estimate the likelihood of having symptoms indicative of clinical depression and anxiety, respectively, as a function of the rate of COVID-19 cases per 10 people and survey time point. The second set employed seven different logistic regression models to estimate the likelihood of using seven different types of digital mental health tools and other technologies to manage one's mental health, as a function of symptoms indicative of clinical depression and anxiety, rate of COVID-19 cases per 10 people, and survey time point. These models also examined potential interactions between symptoms of clinical depression and anxiety, respectively, and rate of COVID-19 cases. All models controlled for respondent sociodemographic characteristics and state fixed effects. RESULTS: Higher COVID-19 case rates were associated with a significantly greater likelihood of reporting symptoms of depression (odds ratio [OR] 2.06, 95% CI 1.27-3.35), but not anxiety (OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.77-1.88). Survey time point, a proxy for time, was associated with a greater likelihood of reporting clinically meaningful symptoms of depression and anxiety (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.12-1.27 and OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05-1.19, respectively). Reported symptoms of depression and anxiety were associated with a greater likelihood of using each type of technology. Higher COVID-19 case rates were associated with a significantly greater likelihood of using mental health forums, websites, or apps (OR 2.70, 95% CI 1.49-4.88), and other health forums, websites, or apps (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.55-4.34). Time was associated with increased odds of reported use of mental health forums, websites, or apps (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.11-1.30), phone-based or text-based crisis lines (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.10-1.31), and online, computer, or console gaming/video gaming (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05-1.19). Interactions between COVID-19 case rate and mental health symptoms were not significantly associated with any of the technology types. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggested increased use of digital mental health tools and other technologies over time during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, additional effort is urgently needed to consider the quality of these products, either by ensuring users have access to evidence-based and evidence-informed technologies and/or by providing them with the skills to make informed decisions around their potential efficacy.

Barriers to and Facilitators of User Engagement With Digital Mental Health Interventions: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs), which deliver mental health support via technologies such as mobile apps, can increase access to mental health support, and many studies have demonstrated their effectiveness in improving symptoms. However, user engagement varies, with regard to a user's uptake and sustained interactions with these interventions. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to identify common barriers and facilitators that influence user engagement with DMHIs. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in the SCOPUS, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. Empirical studies that report qualitative and/or quantitative data were included. RESULTS: A total of 208 articles met the inclusion criteria. The included articles used a variety of methodologies, including interviews, surveys, focus groups, workshops, field studies, and analysis of user reviews. Factors extracted for coding were related to the end user, the program or content offered by the intervention, and the technology and implementation environment. Common barriers included severe mental health issues that hampered engagement, technical issues, and a lack of personalization. Common facilitators were social connectedness facilitated by the intervention, increased insight into health, and a feeling of being in control of one's own health. CONCLUSIONS: Although previous research suggests that DMHIs can be useful in supporting mental health, contextual factors are important determinants of whether users actually engage with these interventions. The factors identified in this review can provide guidance when evaluating DMHIs to help explain and understand user engagement and can inform the design and development of new digital interventions.

Understanding Mental Health App Use Among Community College Students: Web-Based Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Mental health concerns are a significant issue among community college students, who often have less access to resources than traditional university college students. Mobile apps have the potential to increase access to mental health care, but there has been little research investigating factors associated with mental health app use within the community college population. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to understand facilitators of and barriers to mental health app use among community college students. METHODS: A web-based survey was administered to a randomly selected sample of 500 community college students from April 16 to June 30, 2020. Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships between the use of mental health apps, perceived stress, perceived need to seek help for mental health concerns, perceived stigma, past use of professional mental health services, privacy concerns, and social influence of other people in using mental health apps. RESULTS: Of the 500 participants, 106 (21.2%) reported use of mental health apps. Perceived stress, perceived need to seek help, past use of professional services, and social influence were positively associated with mental health app use. Furthermore, the effect of stress was mediated by a perceived need to seek help. Privacy concerns were negatively associated with mental health app use. Stigma, age, and gender did not have a statistically significant effect. CONCLUSIONS: These findings can inform development of new digital interventions and appropriate outreach strategies to engage community college students in using mental health apps.

Therapist-Observer Concordance in Ratings of EBP Strategy Delivery: Challenges and Targeted Directions in Pursuing Pragmatic Measurement in Children's Mental Health Services.

Pragmatic measures of therapist delivery of evidence-based practice (EBP) are critical to assessing the impact of large-scale, multiple EBP implementation efforts. As an initial step in the development of pragmatic measurement, the current study examined the concordance between therapist and observer ratings of items assessing delivery of EBP strategies considered essential for common child EBP targets. Possible EBP-, session-, and therapist-levels factors associated with concordance were also explored. Therapists and independent observers rated the extensiveness of therapist (n = 103) EBP strategy delivery in 680 community psychotherapy sessions in which six EBPs were used. Concordance between therapist- and observer-report of the extensiveness of therapist EBP strategy use was at least fair (ICC ≥ .40) for approximately half of the items. Greater therapist-observer concordance was observed in sessions where a structured EBP was delivered and in sessions where therapists reported being able to carry out planned activities. Findings highlighted conditions that may improve or hinder therapists' ability to report on their own EBP strategy delivery in a way that is consistent with independent observers. These results can help inform the development of pragmatic therapist-report measures of EBP strategy delivery and implementation efforts more broadly.

Caregiver Attendance as a Quality Indicator in the Implementation of Multiple Evidence-Based Practices for Children.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated a quality indicator for children's mental health, caregiver attendance in youth psychotherapy sessions, within a system-driven implementation of multiple evidence-based practices (EBPs) in children's community mental health services. METHOD: Administrative claims from nine fiscal years were analyzed to characterize and predict caregiver attendance. Data included characteristics of therapists (n = 8,626), youth clients (n = 134,368), sessions (e.g., individual, family), and the EBP delivered. Clients were primarily Latinx (63%), male (54%) and mean age was 11; they presented with a range of mental health problems. Three-level mixed models were conducted to examine the association between therapist, youth, service, EBP characteristics and caregiver attendance. RESULTS: Caregivers attended, on average, 46.0% of sessions per client for the full sample and 59.6% of sessions for clients who were clinically indicated, based on age and presenting problem, to receive caregiver-focused treatment. Following initial EBP implementation, the proportion of caregiver attendance in sessions increased over time. Caregivers attended a higher proportion of youth psychotherapy sessions when clients were younger, had an externalizing disorder, were non-Hispanic White, and were male. Further, higher proportions of caregiver attendance occurred when services were delivered in a clinic setting (compared with school and other settings), by bilingual therapists, and the EBP prescribed caregiver attendance in all sessions. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the patterns of caregiver attendance appear consistent with evidence-informed practice parameters of client presenting problem and age. Yet, several improvement targets emerged such as client racial/ethnic background and service setting. Potential reasons for these disparities are discussed.

Defining and Predicting High Cost Utilization in Children's Outpatient Mental Health Services.

Little is known about high-cost service users in the context of youth outpatient mental health, despite the fact that they account for a large proportion of overall mental healthcare expenditures. A nuanced understanding of these users is critical to develop and implement tailored services, as well as to inform relevant policies. This study aims to characterize high-cost service users by examining demographic factors, diagnoses, and service type use. Administrative service use data were extracted from a large County Department of Behavioral Health Services database. Latent profile analyses suggest a four-profile solution primarily distinguished by youth age and diagnostic complexity. Study findings have implications for defining high-cost service users and key targets for efforts aiming to improve outcomes for these youth.

Qualitative Reports of How and When Therapists Adapt Children's Evidence-Based Practices during Community Implementation.

This study analyzed qualitative therapist reports of adaptations to the delivery of multiple evidence-based practices (EBPs) within the context of a system-driven reform of children's community mental health services to understand how therapists adapt EBPs as well as contexts of these adaptations to identify when these adaptations are made. The study sought to complement and expand upon previous quantitative survey findings of two categories of Augmenting and Reducing/Reordering adaptations to EBPs. Data included interviews from 60 therapists (88.3% female, 61.7% Latina/o, 80.0% unlicensed) across 20 program sites in 11 mental health agencies that served racial/ethnically diverse children. Interviews were coded to identify themes surrounding the types of adaptations made and the contexts for these adaptations. The majority of therapists' qualitative descriptions of adaptations converged with the 2 broad categories in the Augmenting and Reducing/Reordering Framework, with therapists describing augmenting (e.g., modifying presentation, lengthening or extending pacing) most often, and reducing/reordering adaptations were discussed less frequently. Child and family characteristics were most frequently cited as indications prompting adaptations; however, the specific characteristics motivating adaptations differed by type. Therapists reporting using augmenting adaptations in the context of a wide range of client characteristics, whereas reducing/reordering adaptations occurred more specifically as a function of clinical presentation, family and caregiver functioning, and emergent life events. Therapists described making adaptations to improve the fit of multiple EBPs for the clients they served. Findings could have implications for implementation efforts with diverse clients served in community settings.

Comparative case studies in integrated care implementation from across the globe: a quest for action.

BACKGROUND: Integrated care is the coordination of general and behavioral health and is a highly promising and practical approach to improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. While there is growing interest and investment in integrated care implementation internationally, there are no formal guidelines for integrated care implementation applicable to diverse healthcare systems. Furthermore, there is a complex interplay of factors at multiple levels of influence that are necessary for successful implementation of integrated care in health systems. METHODS: Guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework (Aarons et al., 2011), a multiple case study design was used to address two research objectives: 1) To highlight current integrated care implementation efforts through seven international case studies that target a range of healthcare systems, patient populations and implementation strategies and outcomes, and 2) To synthesize the shared and unique challenges and successes across studies using the EPIS framework. RESULTS: The seven reported case studies represent integrated care implementation efforts from five countries and continents (United States, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Israel, and Nigeria), target a range of clinical populations and care settings, and span all phases of the EPIS framework. Qualitative synthesis of these case studies illuminated common outer context, inner context, bridging and innovation factors that were key drivers of implementation. CONCLUSIONS: We propose an agenda that outlines priority goals and related strategies to advance integrated care implementation research. These goals relate to: 1) the role of funding at multiple levels of implementation, 2) meaningful collaboration with stakeholders across phases of implementation and 3) clear communication to stakeholders about integrated care implementation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.

Predictors of Burnout among Community Therapists in the Sustainment Phase of a System-Driven Implementation of Multiple Evidence-Based Practices in Children's Mental Health.

Burnout among community mental health (CMH) therapists has been associated with poorer therapist health, high agency turnover, poorer client outcomes, and compromised quality of care. Recent mandates to learn and implement multiple evidence-based practices (EBPs) within CMH settings are intended to improve the quality of community care, yet there is mixed evidence concerning the impacts on workforce burnout. The current study sought to identify correlates of therapist emotional exhaustion, a key aspect of burnout, during the sustainment phase of a system-driven implementation of multiple EBPs in children's mental health services. We hypothesized that high workload and unfavorable organizational climate would relate to therapist emotional exhaustion, but that positive experiences with EBPs adopted would relate to lower exhaustion. Although agency-level indices of organizational climate were unrelated to exhaustion, a multilevel model revealed that therapists' weekly work hours, caseload, and number of EBPs delivered were associated with increased emotional exhaustion. Additionally, activities associated with the EBP implementation efforts (e.g., hours spent in EBP-related activities, supervision or consultation, or outcome monitoring), were not associated with emotional exhaustion. Therapists' knowledge and confidence delivering EBPs and their positive perceptions of EBPs were protective against emotional exhaustion, but these perceptions did not buffer the risks associated with heavy workload. Findings point to implementation strategies to prevent burnout and associated turnover that compromise the returns on investments in EBP implementation.