Team-Focused Approach for Mental Health Support

Overseen By Elizabeth McGuier, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh

Disqualifiers: Under 18 years

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to improve how Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) identify and support children at risk for mental health issues. Researchers are testing a new method called the Care Process Model for Pediatric Traumatic Stress (CPM-PTS) to determine if it helps caregivers better understand and address their children’s mental health needs. They compare a team-focused approach (Team-focused Implementation) with a standard approach (Standard Implementation) to identify which is more effective. Team members working at CACs who are 18 or older are encouraged to participate. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to innovative methods that could enhance mental health support for children.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that these implementation strategies are safe for children?

Research has shown that strategies focused on teamwork are safe and well-tolerated. Studies have found that enhancing teamwork and communication among mental health staff can lead to better outcomes without causing harm. For example, one study linked strong teamwork to positive results for both individuals and the entire center, suggesting the approach is safe for everyone involved.

Another study examined improving communication in mental health settings to enhance team collaboration. This evidence-based approach has not shown any negative effects.

Overall, these findings suggest that team-focused approaches in mental health settings are generally safe for participants. The studies support the idea that effective teamwork can improve care without introducing risks. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Team-Focused Approach for Mental Health Support because it emphasizes collaboration among mental health professionals to improve patient outcomes. Unlike traditional treatments that often focus on individual therapy sessions, this approach integrates a team of specialists working together to provide comprehensive care. This method has the potential to enhance communication and coordination among healthcare providers, leading to more personalized and effective treatment plans. By fostering a supportive network around the patient, this approach aims to address mental health needs more holistically and efficiently.

What evidence suggests that this trial's implementations could be effective for improving mental health support in children?

This trial compares a Team-focused Implementation approach with a Standard Implementation approach to mental health support. Research has shown that strategies aimed at improving teamwork can enhance mental health services. The trial tests the Team-focused Implementation approach to determine if it helps recognize mental health needs and start treatment more quickly. Early findings suggest that better team collaboration can more effectively identify and address mental health issues in children. Although this specific teamwork strategy is new, the concept is that improved teamwork leads to better care and outcomes in mental health services. Initial studies are promising and indicate that these strategies might improve the delivery of mental health services. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Elizabeth McGuier, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Pittsburgh

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals over 18 who are part of a multidisciplinary team at Child Advocacy Centers (CACs). It's designed to help CACs better identify and refer children with mental health issues by improving teamwork and standardizing procedures.

Inclusion Criteria

I am over 18 and part of the team at a participating center.

Exclusion Criteria

I am under 18 years old.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Implementation

Child Advocacy Centers implement the Care Process Model for Pediatric Traumatic Stress (CPM-PTS) with either team-focused or standard implementation strategies

6 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for the effectiveness of the CPM-PTS and team-focused implementation strategies

12 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Standard Implementation
• Team-focused Implementation

Trial Overview The study compares two methods: 'Team-focused Implementation' versus 'Standard Implementation' of the Care Process Model for Pediatric Traumatic Stress. The goal is to see if team-focused strategies improve how well teams work together and help caregivers understand and seek treatment for children's mental health needs.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Team-focused Implementation Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Standard Implementation Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pittsburgh

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,820

Recruited

16,360,000+

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Trials

3,007

Recruited

2,852,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The development of a Mental Health Quality and Safety Framework involved extensive consultations and thematic analysis, resulting in 32 categories grouped into seven key themes aimed at improving mental health services.

The proposed Framework emphasizes a shift from a centralized approach to a more localized model that includes input from frontline staff, consumers, and carers, which is expected to enhance patient safety, clinical outcomes, and staff morale.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A new paradigm for mental-health quality and safety: are we ready? Short, B., Marr, C., Wright, M.[2019]

In a systematic review of 117 studies on psychosocial interventions for childhood mental disorders, only 31% monitored adverse events, highlighting a significant gap in safety reporting.

Among the studies that did monitor adverse events, there was a lack of consistency in how these events were defined and assessed, with only 11% evaluating the causes of the events, which is crucial for understanding the risks associated with these treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Review: Adverse event monitoring and reporting in studies of pediatric psychosocial interventions: a systematic review. Lodewyk, K., Bagnell, A., Courtney, DB., et al.[2023]

The study successfully translated and validated the 'Global Trigger Tool-Psychiatry' (GTT-P) for identifying iatrogenic adverse events in psychiatric care in Norway, incorporating insights from both health professionals and service users to enhance its effectiveness.

Implementing the GTT-P can help mental health nurses in Norway and Sweden to better identify potential triggers for adverse events, ultimately improving patient safety and reducing the risk of harm in psychiatric settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Developing a research tool to detect iatrogenic adverse events in psychiatric health care by involving service users and health professionals. Okkenhaug, A., Tritter, JQ., Landstad, BJ.[2023]

Citations

1. implementationsciencecomms.biomedcentral.com implementationsciencecomms.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s43058-023-00437-z

study protocol for a pilot cluster randomized hybrid type 2 trial This study will be one of the first to test team-focused implementation strategies that integrate effective team development interventions.

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163834322000044

Applying implementation science in mental health services In the U.S., 14% of adults with anxiety and 22% with depression receive only “minimally” effective treatment [1]. Moreover, data from the Substance Abuse and ...

3. researchprotocols.org researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e68368

A Human-Centered Approach for a Student Mental Health ... A summary of the evaluation plan for the mental health and wellness app (Willow). Evaluation domains, Outcomes, Key performance indicators, Data ...

4. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/371079785_Team-focused_implementation_strategies_to_improve_implementation_of_mental_health_screening_and_referral_in_rural_Children's_Advocacy_Centers_study_protocol_for_a_pilot_cluster_randomized_hybrid_type_

study protocol for a pilot cluster randomized hybrid type 2 trial This study will be one of the first to test team-focused implementation strategies that integrate effective team development interventions. Results will inform ...

5. jmir.org jmir.org/2024/1/e54528/

Evaluating the Implementation and Clinical Effectiveness of ... This study evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of precision behavioral health (PBH), a digital-first behavioral health care model embedded within ...

6. digitalcommons.wustl.edu digitalcommons.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3803&context=oa_4

Team-focused implementation strategies to improve ... First, we will examine data completeness and patterns of missing data for caregiver survey ratings and CAC administrative data on referrals and ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9921625/

Associations between teamwork and implementation ... We found associations of team interdependence, functioning, and performance with both individual- and center-level implementation outcomes.

8. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7899798/

Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance ... The objective of this study is to improve communication and collaboration strategies among mental health and school staff by adapting an evidence-based team ...

9. onlinelibrary.wiley.com onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpm.13028

Implementing and evaluating patient‐focused safety ... The focus of this article is the WardSonar monitoring tool: a patient-focused, digital technology to monitor and improve safety on adult acute mental health ...

10. bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-020-05646-z

Exploring psychological safety in healthcare teams to inform ... This study aims to use a mixed-methods approach to develop an in-depth understanding of psychological safety within healthcare teams.