Consultation Services
Program to Translate Research Into Practice
Despite the large amount of money spent on research and development, little attention has been paid to make sure that research findings are made use of in practice. Through support provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Ohio is supporting “effective practice partners ” (EPPs) to look at the gap between producing research and disseminating important findings. In February of 2006, four individuals with knowledge related to the advancement of expanded school mental health were found through the call for proposal process.
Coordinated through the Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs (CSBMHP) at Miami University, these EPPs are joining with the state departments of education and mental health, the Center for Innovative Practice (CIP), the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA), and the regional Educational Service Centers (ESC) to form the Effective Practice Integration Council (EPIC). The main goal of EPIC is to develop methods, technologies, and practices that make it possible for students to have better outcomes related to both school and personal well being. This network is tasked with finding and organizing research on effective practice and translating that information into a common language and useful tools.
The work of EPIC will link specifically with the main principles of the Ohio Family and Children First (OFCF) Access to Better Care (ABC) plan, offering a specific focus on the quality and access to expanded school mental health (ESMH). EPIC will work closely with the CLEX Partnerships for Success (PfS) Academy and other community-based efforts in Ohio by offering detailed ESMH information.