Organizational adaptation: bridging the research to practice gap.

Currently, the children's mental health system appears dysfunctional and in need of serious attention. A possible remedy for this disarray would be for researchers and providers to establish integrated management systems which include mutual, cross organizational learning, and reciprocal feedback mechanisms. This type of adaptive co-management to organizational governance would fully integrate research and practice at the community level. Using a public health service model, this organizational management approach to research and practice would harvest diverse scientific knowledge and disseminate that knowledge through the natural occurring culture and practice of each community. Organizational and clinical knowledge acquisition, as well as practice improvements would necessarily occur over time and across institutions.

A framework for measurement feedback to improve decision-making in mental health.

The authors present a multi-level framework for conceptualizing and designing measurement systems to improve decision-making in the treatment and prevention of child and adolescent mental health problems as well as the promotion of well-being. Also included is a description of the recommended drivers of the development and refinement of these measurement systems and the importance of the architecture upon which these measurement systems are built. The authors conclude with a set of recommendations for the next steps for the field.