The DCFW Implementation Support Project for the DHHS Child Behavioral Health Leadership Team (federally funded component) and its projects continues to build on the existing partnership that the Impact Center has with the CBH team at DHHS. The partnership creates an implementation science, practice-based set of activities and capacity building efforts in support of a multi-tiered policy/governance, program (e.g., EBP) support, and delivery system across North Carolina.

Beginning July 01, 2023, the Impact Center will continue to work alongside and receive directions from DCFW Leadership, embed implementation science best practices within the Team, its projects, and support system partners where directed. This multi-tiered support system endeavors to:

• Provide effective, timely, relevant implementation and organization science-informed best practice supports - encouraging leaders and staff to apply implementation science competencies and capacities at all system levels. Success will enhance CBH team and agency goals for effective whole-child services integration and other key policy priorities;
• Support DHHS capacity development for Medicaid reforms, trauma-resiliency network development, System of Care, embedding evidence-based initiatives/practices, and other designated policy and program reforms. Support occurs through effective capacity building/use of implementation and organization science design and support system strategies impacting state leaders, LME/MCO partners, and partners. One component of this includes the ongoing dissemination of key lessons learned from previous projects including tools/resources developed from the former BBI-Six Core Strategies project – and growth of the BuildUp project universal implementation web hub inclusive of prior lessons learned while pivoting toward broad implementation science best practices information, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and curated resources benefiting DCFW programs, participants, and partners. Additional content, and micro-learning elements will be added during the fiscal year;
• For specific projects, apply implementation science best practices facilitating appropriate capacity development and performance for policy-specific outcomes; and
• Facilitate the identification and of key intermediary organization (IO) functional supports with DHHS and DCFW leaders to foster growth of a sustained, partnership complementing DHHS capacities where important to do so.

Expected outcomes include visible adoption and use of implementation practice strategies among DCFW team and project leaders to lead state level projects or initiatives, using research-based implementation and prevention science strategies, frameworks, action plans, and continuous improvement methods strategically and effectively. These same outcomes will occur with key system partners (e.g., LME/MCO’s, providers). Creating state level implementation science proficiencies among leaders and their system partners can significantly improve team performance, individual project, and system outcomes. These proficiencies further enhance governance systems to optimize outcomes involving state, managed care organizations, community agencies, consumers, and other stakeholders.