Integrated knowledge translation in mental health: family help as an example

Abstract

Objective: To describe and provide an example of integrated knowledge translation.

Methods: We review the elements of integrated knowledge translation and describe the Family Help Program, a distance treatment program for child mental health as an example of integrated knowledge translation.

Results: Family Help, a distance treatment program for child mental health, was developed with a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). One of the requirements of the grant was involvement of community partners. This partnership resulted in a form of integrated knowledge translation (KT). To be successful, integrated KT requires the engagement of all partners and maintenance of mutual respect. The grant met its objectives and several distance treatments for child mental health were developed and evaluated. Integrated KT was effective in supporting the transfer of this research project into clinical practice and Family Help is now employed in several collaborating health districts.

Conclusion: Integrated KT in the early phases of research has significant advantages when the purpose is inclusion of key stakeholders' (e.g. decision makers and consumers) knowledge to yield an effective product and facilitate uptake into clinical practice.

Keywords: Family Help Program; anxiety disorders; disruptive behaviour disorders; dissemination; integrated knowledge translation.