From Evidence to Impact: Joining Our Best School Mental Health Practices with Our Best Implementation Strategies

There is substantial research evidence for the effectiveness of school mental health strategies across problem areas, developmental levels, and the prevention-intervention spectrum. At the same time, it is clear that the education and mental health fields continue to struggle to apply this evidence...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:School mental health 2019-03, Vol.11 (1), p.106-114
Main Authors: Lyon, Aaron R., Bruns, Eric J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Child and School Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Commentary
Curricula
Developmental Psychology
Education
Educational Environment
Evidence Based Practice
Funding
Influence
Instructional Leadership
Intervention
Leadership
Legislation
Mental disorders
Mental Health
Mental Health Programs
Outcomes of Education
Prevention
Program Implementation
Psychology
School boards
School districts
School Health Services
School superintendents
Students
Success
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Summary:There is substantial research evidence for the effectiveness of school mental health strategies across problem areas, developmental levels, and the prevention-intervention spectrum. At the same time, it is clear that the education and mental health fields continue to struggle to apply this evidence at any level of scale. This commentary reflects on ways in which education-specific applications of implementation science principles—and explicit consideration of determinants of implementation success—may guide more consistent use of evidence in school mental health. After reviewing implementation determinants and strategies across multiple levels of effect (i.e., the outer setting, inner setting, individual, and intervention levels), the commentary goes on to recommend specific areas of needed attention in school mental health implementation efforts and research. These include a need to adapt interventions to better fit the context of schools, streamlining school mental health programs and practices to make them more implementable, and recognizing the critical role of assessment and selection of evidence-based interventions by school leaders. The commentary concludes by reflecting on the substantial opportunity provided by the education sector to both apply and advance implementation science.
ISSN:1866-2625
1866-2633
DOI:10.1007/s12310-018-09306-w