Thanks to all the therapists and program managers who participated in our projects, we have learned so much!
Knowledge Exchange on Evidence-Based Practice Sustainment (“4KEEPS”) Study
2019 4KEEPS Survey
The 4KEEPS project spanned eight years in LA County to help understand how PEI EBPs spread and continue to be used over time. We launched a second county-wide survey to understand what happened with sustaining PEI EBPs in 2019.
Therapists and program managers were invited to complete an online survey about their experiences with EBP delivery within PEI. The experiences of therapists and program managers are essential to our understanding of what leads to positive outcomes in real world implementation.
Eligible providers were employed at an agency that was delivering at least one of these practices: CBITS, SS, CPP, MAP, TF-CBT, Triple P, IY, PCIT, or IPT.
2015 4KEEPS Survey
The goal of the 4KEEPS Study is to understand how PEI EBPs are delivered and sustained over time in community mental health settings. We launched our first large scale survey in 2015 to assess therapists’ and program managers’ experiences working with EBPs in LA County within the context of the PEI transformation.
- 857 therapists participated
- 192 program managers participated
2016 4KEEPS In-Depth Study
To gain a more in-depth understanding of mental health professionals’ experiences with implementing PEI EBPs, we recruited a subset of therapists and program managers who completed the 2015 survey and interviewed them on their experiences working with EBPs. Therapists also recorded therapy sessions and reported on strategies used in sessions. We developed the initial version of the Community Practice Assessment tool in this phase.
- 126 therapists participated
- 60 program managers participated
Community Practice Assessment Study
The Community Practice Assessment tool was developed so that therapists can have a useful tool to measure how they delivery evidence-based care in routine practice.
In 2017, we gathered feedback from 35 therapists who have delivered EBPs to revise the Community Practice Assessment tool to maximize its clarity and utility for therapists.
In 2018, we tested the revised Community Practice Assessment tool by examining the agreement between therapist report and external observer reports. Therapists recorded sessions and rated strategies they delivered. Their ratings were compared to observer ratings.
Strategies and Outcomes Study (SOS)
As part of 4KEEPS, we developed a Community Practice Assessment tool for therapists to report on the therapeutic strategies they deliver in sessions. In this phase, we were interested in understanding which EBP strategies led to positive client outcomes.
We recruited programs with therapists who had been trained in at least one evidence-based practice (EBP) for children and youth. From enrolled programs, we recruited therapists and families to participate. Therapist participants reported on their delivery of EBP strategies to up to 8 children over multiple sessions. Families were interviewed to track children’s mental health outcomes.