System Change

Describes innovative strategies that the six Project LAUNCH grantees funded from 2010-2015 used to improve outcomes for children, families and communities. This e-Book shares their lessons learned as they sought to bring policy and practice improvements to scale, enhance infrastructure, and implement direct services. The resource is rich with creative approaches, innovative strategies, and illustrative data from communities that can inform future early childhood efforts both within and outside of the LAUNCH community.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is awarding up to a total of $38.6 million in Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma (ReCAST) grants over the next five years to help people and communities recover from and build resiliency to trauma.

Presents a summary of Federal legislation since 1974 that has had a significant impact on the child protection and child welfare fields. The report also provides an overview of each act and its major provisions.

Responds to and recognizes the impact of trauma on many sectors in behavioral health and beyond. The paper introduces the concept of trauma and offers a framework for how organizations, systems, and service sectors can become trauma-informed.

Considers school policies that try to assist teachers in dealing with the variety of psychosocial and health problems that interfere with learning and performance. Cautions against fragmented supports for students and reviews the benefits of a "whole child" approach for improved outcomes.  

Provides information on research design and the process of conducting strong evaluations around access outreach program services.

Hosts a web-based textbook that introduces evaluation concepts and describes the research process. Topics covered include research planning, sampling, instrument selection, construction of new instruments, and data analysis.

Provides information and reports from the multi-site evaluation of Project LAUNCH, focusing on outcomes for children and families living in Project LAUNCH communities and the impact of the initiative on increasing community wellness. Abt Associates originally managed the evaluation starting in FY 2008, which has been overseen by NORC starting in FY 2013. 

Identifies core competencies on integrated practice relevant to behavioral health and primary care providers. The core competencies are intended to serve as a resource for provider organizations as they shape job descriptions, orientation programs, supervision, and performance reviews for workers delivering integrated care.

Reports on workforce issues related to the provision of integrated behavioral health and general health care. It also provides recommendations related to training and education, recruitment and retention, leadership, infrastructure development, and research and evaluation.