Family Engagement Training Program

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) proposal is to develop and evaluate the Family Engagement Training Program (FETP)-a Web-based innovative, comprehensive training resource for mental health professionals to help them engage and retain underserved children and their families in treatment. Recent consensus reports conclude that undertreatment of children constitutes a public health crisis, and access barriers to effective treatments are a major concern (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003; U.S. Public Health Service, 2000). The rates of service use tend to be worse for low-income and minority children residing in urban areas (Griffin, Cicchetti, & Leaf, 1993; Knitzer, 1996). Unless we can improve the involvement of families in mental health services, those families most in need will not be able to make use of increasingly available effective treatments (Zahner, Pawelkiewicz, DeFrancesco, & Adnopoz, 1992). The proposed FETP, a multimedia training toolkit consisting of a Web-based training program, including scripted telephone triage and initial interview processes and a pocket guide, will help to "re-orient" mental health professionals (social workers, psychologists, case managers, psychiatrists, intake workers) by educating them about the range of barriers these families face and enhancing their engagement skills, thereby increasing access and quality of care for these families. During Phase I, the research team will accomplish the following goals: (1) conduct formative research, including a needs assessment with the Advisory Panel and staff representatives from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and focus groups with clinical and family stakeholders to guide product development; (2) develop the content for one module of the Web-based training; (3) develop detailed outlines for the other modules and the intake process with telephone scripts; (4) conduct a review of the content with the Advisory Panel; and (5) conduct a feasibility study of the one programmed module with mental health clinic staff and trainees. Given the high rates of undertreatment of children with mental health needs, FETP will contribute to public health by ultimately improving services and outcomes for youth. The purpose of this Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) proposal is to develop and evaluate the Family Engagement Training Program (FETP)-a Web-based innovative, comprehensive training resource for mental health professionals to help them engage and retain underserved children and their families in treatment.