TEAMS R34 #1 After-Action Reviews in Child Welfare Services
University of California, San Diego
Summary
This project proposes to improve successful mental health service linkage in Child Welfare Services (CWS) by adapting and testing the After Action Review (AAR) team effectiveness intervention to augment the Child Family Team (CFT) services intervention. Despite being both required and a collaborative approach to service planning, CFT meetings are implemented with questionable fidelity and consistency, rarely including children and families as intended. By inclusion of child and family voice, the AAR-enhanced CFT should lead to increased fidelity to the CFT intervention and greater levels of parental satisfaction with the service and shared decision-making, thus resulting in enhanced follow-through with Action Plans and linkage to mental health care for children.
Description
The proposed project will address the following aims: Aim 1. Conduct a qualitative needs assessment targeting the ongoing implementation of the CFT services intervention in a large, publicly funded, CWS. A qualitative inquiry consisting of interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders will result in the preparation of an action plan to address identified gaps between the current and desired CFT services intervention outcomes. Aim 2. Adapt and tailor the AAR implementation strategy to address the CFT services intervention needs. Aim 3. Assess mechanisms of the AAR team effectiveness inte…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 6+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: Inclusion Criteria for CWS leaders and/or caseworkers 1. (For leaders) Employed as one of several CWS leadership positions: CWS Director, CWS Deputy Director, CWS Regional Manager; (For caseworkers) Employed as a caseworker in one of the two participating regions for the proposed study. 2. Plans to remain employed for at least six months beyond study initiation 3. Speaks English or Spanish Inclusion Criteria for formal and informal CFT members 1. Member of CFT with one of the participating CWS caseworkers. CFT members can include mental health services provider, Court A…
Interventions
- BehavioralAfter-Action Review
After-action reviews, or debriefs, are a relatively simple, inexpensive, and quick, tool to improve learning, performance, and the effectiveness of teams and individuals. After-action reviews are active self-learning processes wherein participants reflect on specific performance episode to actively engage in self-discovery and improve learning in a non-punitive/non-judgmental manner to result in enhanced performance. This proposal aims to apply the team effectiveness intervention of the after-action review (AAR) to the services intervention of the Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings currently used in the CWS.
Location
- UC San Diego - IN STEP Children's Mental Health Research CenterSan Diego, California