Strategies specifically designed to facilitate the training of mental health practitioners in evidencebased practices (EBPs) have lagged behind the development of the interventions themselves. The current paper draws from an interdisciplinary literature (including medical training, adult education, and teacher training) to identify useful training and support approaches as well as important conceptual frameworks that may be applied to training in mental health. Theory and research findings are reviewed, which highlight the importance of continued consultation/ support following training workshops, congruence between the training content and practitioner experience, and focus on motivational issues. In addition, six individual approaches are presented with careful attention to their empirical foundations and potential applications. Common techniques are highlighted and applications and future directions for mental health workforce training and research are discussed. KeywordsTraining; Uptake; Workforce development; Implementation; Dissemination Over the past decades, the mental health field has seen a surge in the development and testing of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for the treatment of a wide variety of adult and youth psychosocial problems. Unfortunately, the advances in EBPs have largely outpaced the development of technologies designed to support their implementation by practitioners in real-world contexts (Fixsen et al. 2005;Ganju 2003;Gotham 2006). One result of this lag is a shortage of treatment providers who are adequately trained and supported to provide EBPs (Kazdin 2008;Weissman et al. 2006). Although reviews of implementation science identify practitioner training as a core implementation component (e.g., Fixsen et al. 2005), research has been limited and trainers in behavioral health repeatedly fail to make use of the existing strategies that have received empirical support (Stuart et al. 2004). The general lack of attention to evidence-based training and implementation methods has been cited as a major contributor to the "research-to-practice gap" commonly described in the mental health literature (Kazdin 2008;McHugh and Barlow 2010;Wandersman et al. 2008). NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptAdm Policy Ment Health. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2012 July 1. NIH-PA Author ManuscriptConsequently, efforts to develop or identify the most effective methods and strategies for training existing mental health practitioners in EBPs and/or the core skills underlying many EBPs (e.g., cognitive behavioral strategies, behavioral parenting strategies) have received increasing attention in the literature (e.g., Dimeff et al. 2009;Long 2008;Stirman et al. 2010).Not surprisingly, a disconnect between the scientific literature and the behavior of community professionals is not unique to mental health. Multiple disciplines, including the fields of medicine and education, grapple with how to train their workforces to implement practices that have received empirical support (e.g., Grimshaw et al. ...

Child and adolescent trauma exposure is prevalent, with trauma exposure-related symptoms, including posttraumatic stress, depressive, and anxiety symptoms often causing substantial impairment. This article updates the evidence base on psychosocial treatments for child and adolescent trauma exposure completed for this journal by Silverman et al. (2008). For this review, we focus on 37 studies conducted during the seven years since the last review. Treatments are grouped by overall treatment family (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy), treatment modality (e.g., individual vs. group), and treatment participants (e.g., child only vs. child and parent). All studies were evaluated for methodological rigor according to Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology evidence-based treatment evaluation criteria (Southam-Gerow & Prinstein, 2014), with cumulative designations for level of support for each treatment family. Individual CBT with parent involvement, individual CBT, and group CBT were deemed well-established; group CBT with parent involvement and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) were deemed probably efficacious; individual integrated therapy for complex trauma and group mind–body skills were deemed possibly efficacious; individual client-centered play therapy, individual mind–body skills, and individual psychoanalysis were deemed experimental; and group creative expressive + CBT was deemed questionable efficacy. Advances in the evidence base, with comparisons to the state of the science at the time of the Silverman et al. (2008) review, are discussed. Finally, we present dissemination and implementation challenges and areas for future research.

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Objectives Empirical study of public behavioral health systems' use of data and their investment in evidence based treatment (EBT) is limited. This study describes trends in state-level EBT investment and research supports from 2001-2012. Methods Multilevel models examined change over time related to state adoption of EBTs, numbers served, and penetration rates for six behavioral health EBTs for adults and children, based on data from the National Association for State Mental Health Program Directors Research Institute (NRI). State supports related to research, evaluation, and information management were also examined. Results Increasing percentages of states reported funding an external research center, promoting the adoption of EBTs through provider contracts, and providing financial incentives for EBTs. Decreasing percentages of states reported promoting EBT adoption through stakeholder mobilization, monitoring fidelity, and specific budget requests. There was greater reported use of adult-focused EBTs (65-80%) compared with youth EBTs (25-50%). Overall penetration rates of EBTs were low (1% - 3%) and EBT adoption by states showed flat or declining trends. SMHAs' investment in data systems and use of research showed little change. Conclusion SMHA investment in EBTs, implementation infrastructure, and use of research has declined. More systematic measurement and examination of these metrics may provide a useful approach for setting priorities, evaluating success of health reform efforts, and making future investments.