Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Implementation Science 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Debate

The role of implementation organizations in scaling evidence-based psychosocial interventions

Authors: Margaret E. Crane, Philip C. Kendall, Bruce F. Chorpita, Matthew R. Sanders, Allen R. Miller, Carolyn Webster-Stratton, Jenna McWilliam, Judith S. Beck, Ceth Ashen, Dennis D. Embry, John A. Pickering, Eric L. Daleiden

Published in: Implementation Science | Issue 1/2023

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

To bring evidence-based interventions (EBIs) to individuals with behavioral health needs, psychosocial interventions must be delivered at scale. Despite an increasing effort to implement effective treatments in communities, most individuals with mental health and behavioral problems do not receive EBIs. We posit that organizations that commercialize EBIs play an important role in disseminating EBIs, particularly in the USA. The behavioral health and implementation industry is growing, bringing the implementation field to an important inflection point: how to scale interventions to improve access while maintaining EBI effectiveness and minimizing inequities in access to psychosocial intervention.

Main body

We offer a first-hand examination of five illustrative organizations specializing in EBI implementation: Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Incredible Years, Inc.; the PAXIS Institute; PracticeWise, LLC; and Triple P International. We use the Five Stages of Small Business Growth framework to organize themes. We discuss practical structures (e.g., corporate structures, intellectual property agreements, and business models) and considerations that arise when trying to scale EBIs including balancing fidelity and reach of the intervention. Business models consider who will pay for EBI implementation and allow organizations to scale EBIs.

Conclusion

We propose research questions to guide scaling: understanding the level of fidelity needed to maintain efficacy, optimizing training outcomes, and researching business models to enable organizations to scale EBIs.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Footnotes
1
We refer to these organizations simply as implementation organization because some authors involved with these organizations either did not think the term “purveyor organization” or “intermediary organization” captured their work (e.g., because they disseminate many–rather than a single–EBIs at an international–not a local–scale); they felt that the term IPO was “too much academic jargon,” or they generally disliked the IPO term.
 
Literature
3.
go back to reference Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Rockville: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2021. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Rockville: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2021.
6.
go back to reference Weisz JR, Kuppens S, Ng MY, Eckshtain D, Ugueto AM, Vaughn-Coaxum R, et al. What five decades of research tells us about the effects of youth psychological therapy: A multilevel meta-analysis and implications for science and practice. Am Psychol. 2017;72:79–117. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040360. Weisz JR, Kuppens S, Ng MY, Eckshtain D, Ugueto AM, Vaughn-Coaxum R, et al. What five decades of research tells us about the effects of youth psychological therapy: A multilevel meta-analysis and implications for science and practice. Am Psychol. 2017;72:79–117. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1037/​a0040360.
7.
go back to reference DeAngelis T. Mental health, meet venture capital. Monit Psychol. 2022;51:56. DeAngelis T. Mental health, meet venture capital. Monit Psychol. 2022;51:56.
8.
go back to reference Chorpita BF. Questions about industry. Behavior Therapist. 2019;42:1–3. Chorpita BF. Questions about industry. Behavior Therapist. 2019;42:1–3.
9.
go back to reference DeAngelis T. As funding cools, venture capitalists shift investments in mental health. Monitor Psychol. 2023;54. DeAngelis T. As funding cools, venture capitalists shift investments in mental health. Monitor Psychol. 2023;54.
11.
go back to reference Heilweil R. Feeling anxious about coronavirus? There’s an app for that. Vox; 2020. Heilweil R. Feeling anxious about coronavirus? There’s an app for that. Vox; 2020.
12.
go back to reference Franks RP, Bory CT. Who supports the successful implementation and sustainability of evidence‐based practices? Defining and understanding the roles of intermediary and purveyor organizations. In: McCoy KP, Diana A, editors. The science, and art, of program dissemination: strategies, successes, and challenges new directions for child and adolescent development. 2015. p. 41–56. https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20112 Franks RP, Bory CT. Who supports the successful implementation and sustainability of evidence‐based practices? Defining and understanding the roles of intermediary and purveyor organizations. In: McCoy KP, Diana A, editors. The science, and art, of program dissemination: strategies, successes, and challenges new directions for child and adolescent development. 2015. p. 41–56. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1002/​cad.​20112
13.
go back to reference Mettrick J, Harburger DS, Kanary PJ, Lieman RB, Zabel M. Building cross-system implementation centers: a roadmap for state and local child- and family- serving agencies in developing centers of excellence. Baltimore: The Institute for Innovation & Implementation, University of Maryland; 2015. Mettrick J, Harburger DS, Kanary PJ, Lieman RB, Zabel M. Building cross-system implementation centers: a roadmap for state and local child- and family- serving agencies in developing centers of excellence. Baltimore: The Institute for Innovation & Implementation, University of Maryland; 2015.
18.
go back to reference Fixsen DL, Naoom SF, Blase KA, Friedman RM. Implementation research: a synthesis of the literature. 2005. Report No.: FMHI Publication #231. Fixsen DL, Naoom SF, Blase KA, Friedman RM. Implementation research: a synthesis of the literature. 2005. Report No.: FMHI Publication #231.
23.
go back to reference Franks RP. Role of the intermediary organization in promoting and disseminating mental health best practices for children and youth: the Connecticut Center for Effective Practice. Emotion Behav Disord Youth. 2010;10:87–93. Franks RP. Role of the intermediary organization in promoting and disseminating mental health best practices for children and youth: the Connecticut Center for Effective Practice. Emotion Behav Disord Youth. 2010;10:87–93.
24.
go back to reference Churchill NC, Lewis VL. The Five Stages of Small Business Growth. Harvard Business Review. 1983; Churchill NC, Lewis VL. The Five Stages of Small Business Growth. Harvard Business Review. 1983;
26.
go back to reference Kreuter MW, M. C C, Bernhardt JM. Enhancing dissemination through marketing and distribution systems: a vision for public health. In: Brownson RC, Colditz Graham A, Proctor EK, editors. Oxford University Press; 2012. p. 213–22. Kreuter MW, M. C C, Bernhardt JM. Enhancing dissemination through marketing and distribution systems: a vision for public health. In: Brownson RC, Colditz Graham A, Proctor EK, editors. Oxford University Press; 2012. p. 213–22.
30.
go back to reference Promotion & Tenure Innovation & Entrepreneurship. PTIE findings: expanding promotion and tenure guidelines to inclusively recognize innovation and entrepreneurial impact. Oregon State University; 2020. Promotion & Tenure Innovation & Entrepreneurship. PTIE findings: expanding promotion and tenure guidelines to inclusively recognize innovation and entrepreneurial impact. Oregon State University; 2020.
31.
go back to reference Flaherty C. Professors are leaving academe during the Great Resignation. Inside Higher Ed; 2022; Flaherty C. Professors are leaving academe during the Great Resignation. Inside Higher Ed; 2022;
36.
go back to reference Phillips PP, Phillips JJ. Return on Investment (ROI) Basics. Association for Talent Development; 2006. Phillips PP, Phillips JJ. Return on Investment (ROI) Basics. Association for Talent Development; 2006.
40.
go back to reference Okamura KH, Wolk CLB, Kang-Yi CD, Stewart R, Rubin RM, Weaver S, et al. The price per prospective consumer of providing therapist training and consultation in seven evidence-based treatments within a large public behavioral health system: an example cost-analysis metric. Front Public Health. 2018;5:21. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2017.00356.CrossRef Okamura KH, Wolk CLB, Kang-Yi CD, Stewart R, Rubin RM, Weaver S, et al. The price per prospective consumer of providing therapist training and consultation in seven evidence-based treatments within a large public behavioral health system: an example cost-analysis metric. Front Public Health. 2018;5:21. https://​doi.​org/​10.​3389/​fpubh.​2017.​00356.CrossRef
41.
go back to reference Laynard R, Clark DM, Knapp M, Mayraz G. Cost-benefit analysis of psychological therapy. Natl Inst Econ Rev. 2007;202. Laynard R, Clark DM, Knapp M, Mayraz G. Cost-benefit analysis of psychological therapy. Natl Inst Econ Rev. 2007;202.
43.
go back to reference Washington State Institute for Public Policy, University of Washington Evidence-Base Practice Institute. Updated inventory of evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices: for prevention and intervention services for children and juveniles in the child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health systems. 2019. Report No.: E2SHB2536–10. Washington State Institute for Public Policy, University of Washington Evidence-Base Practice Institute. Updated inventory of evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices: for prevention and intervention services for children and juveniles in the child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health systems. 2019. Report No.: E2SHB2536–10.
48.
go back to reference Christopher M, Payne A, Ballantyne D. Relationship marketing: bringing quality customer service and marketing together. London: Butterworth-Heinemann; 1991. Christopher M, Payne A, Ballantyne D. Relationship marketing: bringing quality customer service and marketing together. London: Butterworth-Heinemann; 1991.
54.
go back to reference Chorpita BF, Daleiden EL. Mapping evidence-based treatments for children and adolescents: application of the distillation and matching model to 615 treatments from 322 randomized trials. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2009;77:566.CrossRefPubMed Chorpita BF, Daleiden EL. Mapping evidence-based treatments for children and adolescents: application of the distillation and matching model to 615 treatments from 322 randomized trials. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2009;77:566.CrossRefPubMed
60.
go back to reference Kendall PC, editor. Flexibility within fidelity: breathing life into a psychological treatment manual. New York: Oxford University Press; 2021. Kendall PC, editor. Flexibility within fidelity: breathing life into a psychological treatment manual. New York: Oxford University Press; 2021.
65.
go back to reference Dodgson M. Towards the fully engaged university: the particularly Australian challenge. 2015. p. 1–9. Dodgson M. Towards the fully engaged university: the particularly Australian challenge. 2015. p. 1–9.
Metadata
Title
The role of implementation organizations in scaling evidence-based psychosocial interventions
Authors
Margaret E. Crane
Philip C. Kendall
Bruce F. Chorpita
Matthew R. Sanders
Allen R. Miller
Carolyn Webster-Stratton
Jenna McWilliam
Judith S. Beck
Ceth Ashen
Dennis D. Embry
John A. Pickering
Eric L. Daleiden
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Implementation Science / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1748-5908
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-023-01280-5

Other articles of this Issue 1/2023

Implementation Science 1/2023 Go to the issue