Establishing an implementation network: lessons learned from community-based participatory research.

BACKGROUND: Implementation of evidence-based mental health assessment and intervention in community public health practice is a high priority for multiple stakeholders. Academic-community partnerships can assist in the implementation of efficacious treatments in community settings; yet, little is known about the processes by which these collaborations are developed. In this paper, we discuss our application of community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to implementation, and we present six lessons we have learned from the establishment of an academic-community partnership. METHODS: With older adults with psychosis as a focus, we have developed a partnership between a university research center and a public mental health service system based on CBPR. The long-term goal of the partnership is to collaboratively establish an evidence-based implementation network that is sustainable within the public mental healthcare system. RESULTS: In building a sustainable partnership, we found that the following lessons were instrumental: changing attitudes; sharing staff; expecting obstacles and formalizing solutions; monitoring and evaluating; adapting and adjusting; and taking advantage of emerging opportunities. Some of these lessons were previously known principles that were modified as the result of the CBPR process, while some lessons derived directly from the interactive process of forming the partnership. CONCLUSION: The process of forming of academic-public partnerships is challenging and time consuming, yet crucial for the development and implementation of state-of-the-art approaches to assessment and interventions to improve the functioning and quality of life for persons with serious mental illnesses. These partnerships provide necessary organizational support to facilitate the implementation of clinical research findings in community practice benefiting consumers, researchers, and providers.

Public-academic partnerships: improving care for older persons with schizophrenia through an academic-community partnership.

Translating evidence-based mental health interventions designed in research settings into community practice is a priority for multiple stakeholders. Partnerships between academic and public institutions can facilitate this translation. To improve care for middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia, the authors developed a collaboration between a university research center and a public mental health service system using principles from community-based participatory research and cultural exchange theory. They describe the process that has led to a number of mutually beneficial products. Despite the challenges involved, building and maintaining academic-public collaborations will be essential for improving mental health care for persons with schizophrenia.

UCSD's short-term research training programs for trainees at different levels of career development.

OBJECTIVE: There is a critical need for new researchers in psychiatry, including subspecialties such as geriatric psychiatry. Many existing research training programs focus on post-doctoral-level trainees and involve several years of hands-on research with experienced mentors at major universities. Although valuable, such programs have some limitations in expanding the pool of investigators in specific areas. In this article, the authors describe several successful short-term research training programs. METHOD: The authors, at the University of California, San Diego, coordinate three federally funded programs that take place during the summer and include trainees at different levels from across the United States. These programs are 1) Summer Training on Aging Research Topics-Mental Health (START-MH) for undergraduate, graduate, and medical students; 2) Stein Institute for Research on Aging (SIRA) Medical Student Training In Aging Research (MSTAR); and 3) Summer Research Institute (SRI) in Geriatric Psychiatry for postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty. The authors compare salient characteristics of these programs, illustrating similarities as well as differences. RESULTS: The authors' experience to date suggests that these initiatives have been highly successful in attracting talented trainees at various levels, and the participants have found these experiences useful. The available follow-up suggests positive effects on research career development of the trainees, at least in the shorter run. CONCLUSIONS: There are several possible models that seem to have considerable promise for expanding the pool of scientists in a given field. Limitations of this approach as well as plans for the future are discussed.

Intensive short-term research training for undergraduate, graduate, and medical students: early experience with a new national-level approach in geriatric mental health.

OBJECTIVE: There is an urgent need for research training in psychiatry at early career stages, especially in geriatric psychiatry. The authors describe their first-year experience with the Summer Training in Aging Research Topics-in Mental Health (START-MH), a new federally funded national-level training program intended to offer intensive short-term research training for undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. METHODS: The funding was used primarily to pay stipends for trainees who spent 10 weeks during the Summer working on research projects under established research mentors. At the end, a workshop brought together all the trainees who presented research posters. RESULTS: Thirty trainees were selected from among 85 applicants. They worked on projects including basic, translational, clinical, or services research. Evaluations from trainees and mentors were uniformly positive. All the trainees reported that the START-MH program enhanced their interest in pursuing a career in geriatric mental health research. Several trainees later submitted their work for presentation or publication. CONCLUSIONS: The initial data suggest that the START-MH program can be a potentially useful model for attracting talented early-career trainees into mental health research.