Implementing and Evaluating Evidence-Based Treatments in Schools: Successes and Lessons Learned

Abstract

This pilot study presents a community's attempt to enhance their school mental health partnership by collaborating with a university to implement the Youth Experiencing Success in School (Y.E.S.S.) Program, a school mental health program composed of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for children with disruptive behavior problems (Owens et al, in press). The study sought to replicate the effectiveness of the Y.E.S.S. Program and evaluate treatment effectiveness under high university involvement conditions (HUI: services provided by university graduate students) and low university involvement conditions (LUI: services provided by community professionals). HLM analyses indicated that the rates of improvement for the HUI and LUI conditions did not differ significantly for any treatment outcome variable. When these two treatment groups were combined, teachers reported that treated children demonstrated significant improvements in symptoms, social functioning, and classroom functioning, whereas control children on a waiting list did not. Results replicated some of the positive effects of the Y.E.S.S. Program and offer grounds for optimism that, with sufficient technical support, EBTs can retain their effectiveness when delivered by community professionals in schools in under-served communities. Successes and lessons learned from the process of transporting EBTs to the community via a school-mental health partnership are presented.

Keywords:

• SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH
• TREATMENT OUTCOME
• EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT
• DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR
• APPALACHIA