Community mental health administrators, school district student support managers, and clinical supervisors, among others, often struggled with ways to ensure the adoption of best practices and evidence-based behavioral health interventions among school- and community-based providers in a way that facilitates their application as part of normal practice in these settings. As part of Washington, DC’s Expansion of Comprehensive School Behavioral Health initiative, cross-sector partners invested in a systemic approach to reducing the unmet behavioral health needs plaguing DC youth and families, particularly those most vulnerable and confronting social, economic, or environmental challenges. A Community of Practice (CoP) was established as a part of this citywide initiative to ensure learning was co-created and happened across specialized roles, to strengthen professional relationships, and to foster alignment of initiatives across child and family agencies in order to maximize the use of effective school behavioral health practices in all 244 DC public and public charter schools. Presenters will discuss how a CoP was developed in DC, the impact of this approach on community engagement and clinical practices, and lessons learned about factors that can facilitate or hinder the adoption of this approach, especially when considering the unique circumstances faced by Latino urban families.

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