Family Perspectives on Evidence-based Practice for Children’s Mental Health

1. Family Perspectives onEvidence-based Practice for Children’s Mental Health Trina W. Osher Coordinator of Policy & Research Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health

2. FAMILY and YOUTH CONSUMER DRIVEN Paradigm Shift

3. PARADIGM SHIFT to Family-driven PracticeApplied to Evidence-based Practice Adapted from Osher, T.W & Osher, D. (2002). The Paradigm Shift for True Collaboration with Families. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 11:1, 47-60

4. PARADIGM SHIFT to Family-driven PracticeApplied to Evidence-based Practice(continued)

5. PARADIGM SHIFT to Family-driven PracticeApplied to Evidence-based Practice(continued)

6. PARADIGM SHIFT to Family-driven PracticeApplied to Evidence-based Practice(continued)

7. Benefits of Making the Shift • High Participation • Youth consumers and families are partners of equal stature • Mutual respect governs all relationships • No one person bears the burden alone (is the boss) • Resources are provided to make it easier for youth consumers and families to participate • Strong Relationships • Honest, humble, and trustworthy, creative, patient, and non-judgmental • Communication is culturally competent • Environments are comfortable, welcoming, and safe

8. Benefits of Making the Shift(continued) • Varied and Valid Data Sources • Youth consumers and families tell what they wanted, experienced, and accomplished • Providers and administrators supply accurate information about services and outcomes • Cultural perspectives are included in the data and analysis • Shared Responsibility • Information and ideas flow freely and are generously disseminated to all stakeholders • Joint authority for making decisions • Collective responsibility for implementation fidelity and the outcomes

9. Develop Partnerships • Families and youth from diverse communities should be considered research partners, and • Included in the design, planning, evaluation and implementation of evidence based treatment models.

10. Look to Families • With an eye toward finding promising practices that seem to be effective for youth with emotional or behavioral problems • Put these onto the research agenda

11. MUST Services Demonstrate Positive Outcomes • Requires: • compliance with the standards of practice strict monitoring • quality assurance methods • fidelity of the model is upheld • providers are accountable for the outcomes • Families and advocates must be part of the process of evaluation and monitoring of practice models

12. Integration withinSchool Framework • Evidence-based practices must be: • part of the overall curriculum and pupil support services system • incorporated into the child and family’s IEP in addition to other services and supports that make up a comprehensive approach to address behavioral health needs

13. Insurance, Medicaid and SCHIP • Must cover evidenced-based practices as part of their overall benefits through a comprehensive provider network • Paraprofessional services should be a covered benefit

14. ALL Stakeholders Must Collaborate • Reform the global child-family systems (child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health, education) • Increase the availability and accessibility of a comprehensive service delivery system inclusive of evidenced-based practice and other services and supports

15. Closing Advice Before you make a recommendation, ask yourself ~~ Is the evidence good enough to apply this practice to your own child?