This study is a pilot cluster randomized controlled hybrid Type II effectiveness-implementation trial in 4 rural Child Advocacy Centers. All CACs will implement the Care Process Model for Pediatric Traumatic Stress (CPM-PTS), a mental health screening and referral protocol. CACs will be randomized to team-focused implementation (n = 2) or standard implementation (n = 2). The study is designed to evaluate the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of team-focused implementation strategies. It will also test the effect of the CPM-PTS on caregiver understanding of mental health needs and intentions to initiate treatment. Mixed methods will be used to evaluate the feasibility of team-focused implementation, test the effect of team strategies on teamwork, and assess implementation outcomes. Administrative data collected anonymously from caregivers will be used to test the effectiveness of the CPM-PTS.
Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) are well-positioned to identify children at risk for mental health problems and to facilitate access to evidence-based treatments. Implementation of standardized mental health screening and referral protocols may improve recognition of mental health needs and facilitate treatment engagement. Implementation strategies that improve teamwork may enhance implementation outcomes in team-based settings like CACs. In this study, CACs will implement the Care Process Model for Pediatric Traumatic Stress (CPM-PTS) and be randomized to either team-focused implementation or standard implementation. The study aims are to evaluate the feasibility of team-focused implementation and the effect of the CPM-PTS on caregiver understanding of mental health needs and intentions to initiate treatment.