Date of Award

Summer 8-1-2025

Document Type

Campus Access Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

School Psychology

First Advisor

Melissa Pearrow

Second Advisor

Lindsay Fallon

Third Advisor

Kathryn Kurtz

Abstract

ABSTRACT

FOSTERING COLLABORATION BETWEEN MOBILE CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAMS AND SCHOOL TEAMS

August 2025

Talia Berkman, B.A., Mount Holyoke College

M.Ed., University of Massachusetts, Boston

Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, Boston

Directed by Professor Melissa Pearrow

With the goal of strengthening partnerships between Mobile Crisis Intervention (MCI) and school teams to improve behavioral health crisis response for youth and families, the current project reflects the initial implementation and evaluation of a toolkit based on a comprehensive needs assessment in Massachusetts (MA). The work is grounded in Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF), an organizing framework for synthesizing education and mental health care, and implementation science, which provides a staged approach to the uptake of new practices. The current project is based upon needs identified in a nationwide review of MCI programs and an in-depth needs assessment in MA. The needs identified then informed the development of the toolkit.

In this study, a process evaluation was conducted with the goals of observing and evaluating how providers implemented the toolkit, to what extent collaboration was evident, and investigating providers’ responses to the toolkit. Over the course of one school year, 3 school teams and 2 regionally affiliated MCI teams (16 providers total) worked to strengthen their inter-agency collaboration through use of the Behavioral Integrated Resources for Children (BIRCh) Toolkit to Foster Mobile Crisis Intervention (MCI), School, and Caregiver Collaboration. Data included descriptive observations and field notes, review of records, fidelity monitoring, a brief self-reported repeated descriptive measure of strategies used following each encounter between MCI and the school, an informal pre-post knowledge and attitudes measure of MCI and school staff, and focus groups following implementation.

Qualitative data was analyzed for themes using Framework Analysis. Framework Analysis is a technique used often in applied research that provides a step-by-step process for analyzing qualitative data thematically, comparing findings from different participant groups, and presenting information in a matrix format to be applied in practice. Major themes that emerged in the focus groups included discussion of solutions to mitigate resource challenges, such as geographic context, funding, and workforce capacity. Participants also discussed their experience with the work of collaboration itself, such as edits to the written toolkit, teaming, formal partnership, crisis practices, and building their knowledge base. Finally, their experiences relating to the impact of their efforts included strengthening personal relationships, improving quality of services, and encouraging appropriate utilization of services.

The goal is that this study will provide the groundwork for future evaluation of the effectiveness of this toolkit. Ultimately, upon refining the toolkit based on findings from this study, this toolkit will be a free resource for all Massachusetts MCI and school-based providers for the benefit of all.

Comments

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