Testing Web-Based Decision Support with Automated and Live Facilitation to Help States Select Evidence-Based Mental Health and Child Welfare Programs

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying ways to improve mental health and child welfare services by developing and testing a web-based decision support tool called Optimizing Responses through Collaborative Assessments ORCA. This tool helps state decision makers choose evidence-based programs EBPs to prevent child maltreatment and improve child and parent mental health, in line with the Family First Prevention Services Act FFPSA. The study focuses on enhancing decision-making quality and implementation of these programs in real-world state settings. Participants will be involved in one of two groups one receiving automated facilitation ORCA-A through the web platform, and the other receiving live facilitation ORCA-L via a facilitator guiding group discussions in real time. The study includes developing the web platform to host the ORCA tool and the automated facilitation, and then testing how these facilitation methods affect decision experiences, processes, and outcomes. The implementation process and fidelity of the adopted programs will also be monitored over time. During the study, participants will complete measures before, immediately after, and up to 12 months following the intervention to assess changes in decision quality, commitment, and perceptions of community health impact. The study also tracks how well evidence-based programs are adopted and implemented through bi-weekly assessments for up to two years. Throughout the study, data will be collected on decision reasoning, goals, consensus, and timing of program adoption to evaluate the effectiveness of the ORCA tool and facilitation methods.

K-ORCA: Testing a Decision Support Tool and Group Process for Selecting Interventions