Leveraging the Evidence Base to Improve Youth Mental Health Outcomes

Presented by Sarah Kate Bearman, PhD, University of Texas, Austin

Despite the strong evidence base for psychosocial treatments for a number of common youth mental health challenges, treatment in routine practice settings fails to benefit the majority of youth who receive services. When evidence-based treatments are used in complex settings like community mental health care clinics, they are often implemented with low fidelity or show weaker effects than in efficacy trials. This talk will explore the mis-match between the treatment evidence base for youth mental health and the realities of the clients, clinicians, and resources of complex settings. Recommendations for ways to improve access to as well as adoption and implementation of evidence-based treatments will be described.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will be familiar with the evidence base for common mental health problems in youth.
• Attendees will understand the challenges to implementing evidence-based treatments in complex settings.
• Attendees will learn some suggestions for increasing access to evidence-based treatments, and supporting adoption and high-quality implementation.

About the Visiting Professor Lecture Series:

The Child Mind Institute Visiting Professor Lecture Series invites leaders in the field of child and adolescent mental health to talk about the latest research and treatment protocols. All events are open to the public. This year, select lectures will be available both in person and virtual. In partnership with Northwell Health, continuing medical education (CME) credits for psychiatrists and continuing education (CE) credits for psychologists are available to registered course participants.