Mental health providers face significant challenges implementing evidence-based practices, with most technical assistance (TA) being light touch or short-term. These gaps can reduce access to effective interventions and treatment, especially for underserved and historically underrepresented populations. Providers need targeted and intensive TA that goes deeper to have more of an impact. Implementation science – the study of how to successfully integrate effective interventions in settings – can bridge these gaps.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently funded a new National Center for Mental Health: Dissemination, Implementation, and Sustainment (MHDIS). Stanford’s Center for Dissemination and Implementation (CDI), directs the project and partnered with UW to lead one of five bi-regional Mental Health Technical Assistance Centers (MHTACs).
The West Coast MHTAC is co-led by Lydia Chwastiak, MD, MPH, and Christina Clayton, LICSW, SUDP, and covers Health & Human Services (HHS) regions 9 and 10. In addition, UW faculty are also contributing their expertise in implementation science to the associated national Technical Expert Panel and eight core implementation science topic workgroups.
In partnership with David Katz, PhD, MPH (UW Global Health), the West Coast MHTAC will lead the workgroup on Contextual Determinants (e.g., settings, populations, social determinants of health including disparities) for effective intervention selection and adaptation. Akansha Vaswani-Bye, PhD, and Maria Monroe-DeVita, PhD, will provide crucial technical assistance and implementation expertise. Staff Gabrielle Orsi, PhD, and Payton Messersmith, BA, bring their expertise in program management, communications and operations.
The MHDIS project will build the capacity to select and implement evidence-supported practices and programs, sharing pragmatic, accessible guidance through two goals:
- Increase availability of resources on implementation science-based dissemination, implementation, and implementation, with a focus on the “how” of practice change.
- Increase the capability to disseminate, implement, and sustain effective practices through TA to Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) recipients and organizations that oversee or directly provide mental health services.
The MHTACs will begin providing targeted and intensive TA beginning in March 2025. You can read more in this recent article. Stay tuned for more developments in the new year, including a revised name!
