(PS3-63) A Qualitative Assessment of an Internet-based Consultation and Networking Platform (i-CAN) Designed to Increase Use of CBT Among Community Youth Mental Health Providers

There currently exists a gap in providing evidence-based interventions (EBI) within community mental health care. Research suggests information and education alone do not have lasting impact on provider behavior. To enhance use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for youth anxiety treatment, the Internet-Based Consultation and Networking (i-CAN) platform was developed to facilitate provider support and consultation among community mental health providers (i.e., opportunities for continued skill development, experiential training, implementation support, troubleshooting problems, and learning from successful delivery). i-CAN was developed via engagement with a participatory workgroup of providers, is conceptually rooted in the theory of planned behavior, utilizes an adapted peer-navigator approach, and leverages commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology (i.e., Slack, Github) to reduce technological barriers to future replicability and scalability.

The usage and impact of the i-CAN platform was tested via a Randomized-Controlled Trial (RCT) where providers were randomized to access to i-CAN for 18 weeks and compared to a control group of providers with ‘as usual’ access to EBI resources. Following their participation in the RCT, community providers (N=12) participated in a semi-structured interview with a member of the research team to gather additional qualitative data regarding their experiences using the platform. Providers invited to complete the endpoint interview were selected to capture the most robust feedback possible; Slack metrics were utilized to recruit providers with varying levels of engagement with the platform, providers were recruited on a rolling basis to capture perspectives at different timepoints throughout the RCT, and providers were selected across practice settings (i.e., schools, agencies, private practice). Providers were asked to provide feedback about features of the i-CAN platform (i.e., opportunities for 1:1 consultation services, a searchable resource-hub, channel for connecting with peer providers, asking questions, sharing experiences/resources, etc.), content (i.e., satisfaction with resources, relevance of topics), comfortability (i.e., reaching out for 1:1 consultation, posting questions/content within peer-peer channels), technological considerations (i.e., user-interface, ease of navigation, use of desktop and/or mobile app), and any identified barriers to use (i.e., time). Further, they were asked to reflect on any possible changes to their day-to day practice as a result of their engagement with i-CAN and recommendations for future use (i.e., targeted end-users, scalability, use within larger agencies).

Interviews lasted up to one hour, were recorded (with permission) and then transcribed. A five-step framework approach was used (i.e., familiarization, developing thematic framework, indexing, charting, and interpretation) for analysis. This poster will summarize qualitative feedback (i.e., key themes) regarding i-CAN, with the intention of providing further recommendations to inform large-scale implementation efforts (i.e., agency, statewide programs) focused on improving EBI delivery within community care.