Children's Mental Health Services Research Training

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a revised submission of competing renewal application number 2 T32 MH19544-11 for the National Institute on Mental Health sponsored Institutional National Research Service Award originally granted to Vanderbilt University on 9/30/91, and renewed on 7/1/96. The goal of the proposed Training Program is to continue to train researchers with the necessary commitment, understanding, and technical expertise to design and execute sophisticated field research on the pressing and unique problems of child mental health services. These goals are accomplished through (a) the collaboration and mentoring of faculty from the departments of Psychology, Human and Organizational Development, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry, (b) first hand research experience in design, implementation, and dissemination of applied research, (c) research internships in community agencies, and (d) tailored course work. The past ten years of funding have been used successfully in achieving these goals. Trainees are conducting research in mental health services and making important contributions to the field as evidenced by the 190 published articles and/or presentations at major conferences in the field. Graduates from the program have been successful in obtaining funding and professional positions continuing in children's mental health services research. The training experience has been enhanced by the quality of research at Vanderbilt University as coordinated through the Center for Mental Health Policy in the Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy, which houses the program. Trainees have worked on such complex research projects as the Fort Bragg Evaluation. However, given our experience with large-scale system studies, we are shifting the focus of training to further emphasize interdisciplinary studies including measurement/instrument development, treatment effectiveness in community-based settings, and program evaluation/ quantitative methods. While we are continuing our emphasis on effectiveness research, the training will be directed more towards what we see as a critical need for researchers able to conduct translational/practice research. Funds are requested for six pre- and two postdoctoral trainees for five and two years respectively. The program includes six primary components: (1) the faculty advisor system, (2) curriculum, (3) research seminars, (4) participation in ongoing research, (5) career development, and (6) field placement. The program has been successful in training skilled contributors to the field of mental health services research for children and adolescents, and we hope we will be able to continue to do so.