| Description |
Background: Children adopted from foster care frequently encounter psychological trauma, attachment difficulties, and maladaptive behaviors. Mental health clinicians often lack the necessary training and resources to effectively assess and address the unique needs of youth adopted from foster care despite an increasing demand for adoption-informed care. This quality improvement (QI) project sought to implement an evidence-based toolkit and assessment protocol designed to enhance mental health clinicians' confidence and competence in treating youth adopted from foster care. Local Problem: A community mental health clinic in Provo, Utah, identified gaps in clinician training and resources concerning adoption-specific mental health care. Clinicians expressed limited confidence in assessing and addressing adoption-related concerns and reported a lack of structured tools to guide their practice. Methods: A pre-survey assessed clinicians' baseline confidence, knowledge, and perceived barriers in working with youth adopted from foster care. Based on that data, clinicians were given an evidence-based toolkit and assessment protocol and introduced via in-person training presentations. A post-survey evaluated changes in clinician confidence, satisfaction, feasibility, and usability of the toolkit. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses were thematically coded. Interventions: The intervention involved developing and implementing a clinician-focused toolkit and assessment protocol. The toolkit provided adoption-specific guidance, screening tools, and therapeutic strategies. Clinicians participated in structured training sessions and exchanged feedback, shaping iterative toolkit improvements. Results: Thirteen clinicians participated in the pre-survey, and twelve completed the postsurvey. After implementing the toolkit, clinician confidence in assessing adoption-related issues increased from 15.4% to 46.2%, while confidence in addressing these issues rose from 46.2% to 61.5%. Most clinicians found the toolkit feasible (46.2%), easy to navigate (69.2%), and beneficial for clinical practice, with 69.2% indicating they would recommend it to others. Qualitative feedback highlighted improved clinician preparedness and the need for further education and hands-on training. Conclusion: Implementing an evidence-based toolkit enhanced mental health clinicians' confidence and ability to assess and address adoption-related concerns in youth adopted from foster care. The toolkit was well received and demonstrated feasibility for integration into clinical workflows. Future research should investigate long-term clinician competency, adoption-related patient outcomes, and broader implementation across various mental health settings. |
