Oregon Research Institute

Internet-Based Fidelity Enhancement of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care

In this subcontract with the Oregon Social Learning Center, investigators are creating and testing the use of the Internet for use with the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care program for antisocial youth.

Details

Mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice agencies are jointly faced with the challenge of reducing the prevalence of adolescent antisocial behavior, but sadly, even though empirically-validated programs are available and widely disseminated, replication of research results in community settings remains slow and problematic. A critical contributor to unsuccessful dissemination efforts is the prohibitive need for intensive monitoring by intervention developers/consultants; a difficulty exacerbated as the distance increases between these individuals and community agencies attempting to achieve and maintain implementation fidelity. This project proposes one possible solution to this problem by developing an Internet-based fidelity feedback mechanism for program consultants, clinical supervisors and interventionists as part of an evidence-based program’s data collection and reporting functions. This mechanism links local clinical programs and nationally-based dissemination teams through direct, immediate, high quality data and secure video of clinical interactions. This will make it more likely that local service organizations can implement services at the highest possible level of fidelity and achieve stronger community-based intervention outcomes.