Building a Consumer Base for Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in a State System of Care

This paper documents the scope and limitations of an outreach effort to build a consumer base for Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy in a state public mental health system for children. Three key aspects are discussed: the fostering of an informed referral network, the development of screening and identification services, and the engagement of families. Referral, screening and engagement are each examined against the backdrop of existing literature on implementation and dissemination. Each aspect of the implementation plan is described in detail—as are the barriers encountered and lessons learned during the course of execution. We provide several recommendations to assist other efforts to implement Evidence-Based Treatments into state systems of care.