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Despite efforts to embed mental health supports within schools, few models exist to facilitate the implementation of targeted (Tier II) evidence-based interventions in schools. To address this gap, a collaborative partnership was formed between a pediatric teaching hospital and a large urban public school district. The current exploratory study details the development and implementation of a training model (Comprehensive Implementation Training and Support--CITAS) that addresses both consultation and organizational factors known to promote the successful implementation of Tier II interventions. Additionally, the study utilizes a case example approach to highlight initial promise and areas for future development. Results demonstrated a need for CITAS to support effective implementation and provided encouraging data on the acceptability, feasibility, and initial promise of this model. Participating clinicians demonstrated engagement and satisfaction with the activities included in the CITAS model, high levels of fidelity to the intervention, and improvement in outcomes for students participating in Anger Coping groups facilitated by CITAS clinicians. Findings also indicated that the CITAS model facilitated the navigation of organizational barriers (e.g., leadership support, resources, time) that promoted implementation success.

The inclusion of Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder (PCBD) in the DSM-5 appendix signifies a call for research regarding the distinguishing features and clinical utility of proposed PCBD criteria. Rigorously constructed tools for assessing PCBD are lacking, especially for youth. This study evaluated the validity and clinical utility of the PCBD Checklist, a 39-item measure designed to assess PCBD criteria in youth aged 8 to18 years. Test construction procedures involved: (a) reviewing the literature regarding developmental manifestations of proposed criteria, (b) creating a developmentally informed item pool, (c) surveying an expert panel to evaluate the clarity and developmental appropriateness of candidate items, (d) conducting focus groups to evaluate the comprehensibility and acceptability of items, and (e) evaluating psychometric properties in 367 bereaved youth (Mage = 13.49, 55.0% female). The panel, clinicians, and youth provided favorable content validity and comprehensibility ratings for candidate items. As hypothesized, youth who met full PCBD criteria, Criterion B (e.g., preoccupation with the deceased and/or circumstances of the death), or Criterion C (e.g., reactive distress and/or social/identity disruption) reported higher posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms than youth who did not meet these criteria, ηp2 = .07-.16. Youth who met Criterion C reported greater functional impairment than youth who did not, ηp2 = .08-.12. Youth who qualified for the "traumatic bereavement specifier" reported more frequent posttraumatic stress symptoms than youth who did not, ηp2 = .04. Findings support the convergent, discriminant, and discriminant-groups validity, developmental appropriateness, and clinical utility of the PCBD Checklist.

This study explored whether youth protective factors become more or less developed overtime for 4811 youth involved in child welfare using the Child and Adolescent Need and Strengths (CANS) Assessment. Using child welfare administrative data, analyses investigated if the improvement of youth protective factors while in the child welfare system was associated with reducing the risk of justice system involvement. Study findings demonstrated that youth with improved community life strengths, talents/interests, educational strengths, and spiritual/religious strengths were at a significantly lower risk of becoming justice involved while in child welfare. This speaks to the protective effect that positive self-concept in the form of individual talents or creativity, community resources, educational supports, and spiritual/religious encouragement have on youth development and functioning while in the child welfare system, in addition to the potential role of the child welfare system in helping to develop these specific protective factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both bereavement and thwarted belongingness serve as risk markers for youth suicide-related behaviors. This study examined candidate predictors of thwarted belongingness among bereaved youth, including caregiver cause of death and surviving caregiver coping style. A group of 43 caregiver-bereaved families (58 children aged 7-13-years-old) participated in a longitudinal study investigating associations between hypothesized bereavement-related contextual factors and youth thwarted belongingness. Cause of caregiver deaths included anticipated deaths preceded by illness (37%; n = 16), sudden natural deaths (25.6%; n = 11), accidental deaths (20.9%; n = 9), death by suicide (9.3%; n = 4), and death from drug overdose (7.0%; n = 3). Children's thwarted belongingness was significantly higher among youth bereaved by suicide compared to youth bereaved by sudden natural death, accident, and anticipated death by illness. Surviving caregivers' use of behavioral disengagement and positive reinterpretation and growth as coping strategies at Time 1 predicted lower thwarted belongingness in children at Time 2. Implications for risk screening and assessment of suicide risk among bereaved youth are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]