Robert P. Franks
Judge Baker Children’s Center/Harvard University, USA
Title: Improving the Quality of Behavioral Healthcare for Children and Adolescents
Biography
Biography: Robert P. Franks
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Despite major advances in understanding what works best in the treatment of a wide range of behavioral health problems in children and adolescents, a significant gap remains between research and practice. To address this gap, intermediary organizations have been developed to work with treatment developers and community based providers to implement best practice models of care and train practitioners to deliver high quality services with good outcomes. This presentation will provide an overview of this methodology and a case study of how behavioral health services were improved within a statewide system of care.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: This presentation will provide an overview of the roles and functions of an intermediary organization working to improve behavioral health services in a statewide system, as well as the implementation framework used to train and disseminate an evidence-based practice, the Modular Approach for Treatment of Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Conduct (MATCH). A brief overview of the MATCH model will be presented followed by a discussion of implementation strategies and system wide outcomes resulting in improved quality of care.
Conclusion & Significance: As the need for effective services for children and adolescents grows, it is vital that we explore effective mechanisms to train providers in evidence-based models to improve the quality of care. This presentation will demonstrate an effective strategy that has been used to train behavioral health providers impacting thousands of families. This model can be replicated in other settings around the world.