Training intervention for the engagement of families in mental health services

Approximately one third of children who need mental health services actually receive care, and of the youth who do engage in services, the majority drop out prematurely (McKay & Bannon, 2004; McKay, McCadam, & Gonzales, 1996). The under-treatment of children with serious mental health needs constitutes a public health crisis and addressing barriers to effectively engaging children in child mental health services is a major priority (DHHS, 2003; U.S. Public Health Service, 2000). To address this concern, Danya International developed the Training Intervention for the Engagement of Families (TIES). TIES is an in-person training program conducted by certified trainers with mental health professionals to promote their knowledge, skills, and ability to use evidence-based approaches to better engage and retain children and families in mental health treatment. A randomized controlled trial (N = 154) was assessed the effectiveness of the TIES program in improving providers' knowledge and attitudes about family-centered care and increasing patient show rates and retention. Study findings reveal that the TIES training was associated with gains in knowledge and more positive attitudes towards family centered care. Over time, only clinic sites who received ongoing support and training through a 6-month learning collaborative (LC) maintained higher initial appointment show rates. Additionally, the TIES only group and the TIES + LC group both had higher percentages of kept follow-up appointments compared to the control group. The TIES + LC condition was the only study group associated with significant, sustained increases in knowledge of family barriers and engagement principles over time.