Contextual Influences and Strategies for Dissemination and Implementation in Mental Health

Implementation science has emerged to bridge the gap between research and practice. A number of conceptual frameworks have been developed to advance implementation research and illuminate the contextual influences that can facilitate or impede the implementation of evidence-based practices. Contextual factors that may be important in the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practice may occur at the system-, organizational-, and provider-levels. System-level barriers may include external policies, incentives, and peer pressure. Organizational-level factors that are important in implementation include organizational culture and climate and implementation climate. At the individual provider-level, barriers may occur around provider attitudes, knowledge, and self-efficacy. Finally, additional barriers such as client-level that can be used to overcome contextual barriers when attempting to implement evidence-based practices into new settings. Several exemplar implementation strategies are discussed, including the Availability, Responsiveness, and Continuity intervention, Community Development Team model, and Interagency Collaborative Team Model.