Past projects
Testing the Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation (LOCI) Intervention in Substance Abuse Treatment Programs
(R01 DA038466; NIDA)
This study tested the impact of the Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation (LOCI) intervention in facilitating implementation and fidelity of Motivational Interviewing (MI) in nine substance use disorder treatment agencies at multiple sites across California and Arizona. Initial support for the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of the LOCI intervention was successfully demonstrated in an NIH supported pilot study.
Translating Evidence-based Interventions for ASD: A Multilevel Implementation Strategy (TEAMS)
(R01 MH111950, NIMH)
This project is conducting two, coordinated studies testing the effectiveness of the TEAMS model in supporting providers in their learning and delivery of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) treatments “Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching” (CPRT) in schools and “An Individualized Mental Health Intervention for ASD” (AIM HI). The TEAMS model aims to improve implementation leadership, organizational climate, and provider attitudes and motivation in order to improve two key implementation outcomes – provider training completion and ASD EBI fidelity, and subsequent child outcomes. Both studies will be conducted in San Diego (Lauren Brookman-Frazee, PhD, Mental Health Director; AIM HI), Sacramento (Aubyn Stahmer, PhD, Education Director; CPRT), and Los Angeles (Anna Lau, PhD).
Working to Implement and Sustain Digital Outcome Measurement (WISDOM) Feedback Systems
(R01 DA049891; NIDA)
PI: Nathaniel J. Williams
(2019-2023)
The goal of Project WISDOM is to better understand how to support behavioral health providers and clients to use digital measurement feedback systems in outpatient psychotherapy for youth. Twenty-one clinics located in the western United States (Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada) implemented the Outcomes Questionnaire-Analyst (OQ-A), a digital measurement feedback system for youth. This study tests LOCI’s effects on implementation leadership, implementation climate, therapists’ attitudes and motivation to use OQ, and therapists’ use of the OQ-A system with youth clients. The study is led by a team of researchers from Boise State University (PI: Nate Williams), UC San Diego (Greg Aarons), University of Central Florida (Mark Ehrhart), and University of Pennsylvania.
Development and Testing of an Evidence Based Intervention Sustainment Measure
(5R03MH117493-02, NIMH)
PI: Gregory Aarons
(2018 – 2021)
The proposed project aims to develop and test a measure of evidence-based intervention (EBI) sustainment. The team will catalogue current theoretical constructs of sustainment, develop relevant items, and test the psychometric properties of the resulting scale by including it in three ongoing IRB approved research protocols. The scale will facilitate measurement of the degree to which an EBI is integrated into practice with the organizational capacity to support its continued use.
LOCI — System Level (LOCI-SL)
Professional Services Contract
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA)
(2019-2020)
This project assesses the impact of an expanded version of the Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation (LOCI) intervention, to include partnership with a statewide Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) and Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs). The overall goal is to aid in the implementation of combined Motivational Enhancement Therapy/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MET/CBT). By adding a system level component to LOCI, this project aims to bridge outer system and inner organizational contexts and develop and align a positive implementation climate to support implementation and sustainment of MET/CBT for SUDs.
Leadership Development for Evidence-Based Practice Implementation
R21 MH08273; NIMH
PI: Gregory Aarons
(2009 – 2011)
This study marks the development of the LOCI intervention, designed to improve leadership knowledge, skills, abilities, and performance of mental health program managers to improve workplace climate, and readiness for implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP). Utilizing an empirically validated framework, subject matter experts collaborated with program managers, clinicians, and agency directors to develop the intervention and conduct a randomized pilot trial to examine key organizational and staff outcomes.
Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS)
PIs: Karina Egeland and Ane-Marthe Solheim Skar
(2018 – 2020)
This study tests the effectiveness of the Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation (LOCI) strategy in successfully implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) for post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) in a mental health services setting in Norway. The project recruited both child and adult mental health clinics in specialized services from all over Norway via the four regional health trusts. Three EBPs for PTSD were implemented in Norwegian specialized mental health services. In child services, therapists were trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). In adult services, two practices were implemented: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD).