Request for Proposals Addressing Access to Care
In 2016, the KTGF embarked on an initiative to improve access to mental health care for children and adolescents, especially those from families with limited supports and resources.
The principal objective of this initiative has been to fund academic research in the development of innovative models of service delivery such as those that leverage technology, non-traditional treatment settings, and professional and paraprofessional treatment providers or others (e.g. teachers, parents, primary care physicians). With COVID-19, access to mental health care has become even more challenging, especially for children of low-income families. As a result, in 2020 we will be reissuing our Request for Proposals addressing Access to Care.
Overview
• Proposals are due on January 10, 2021, 11:59 pm EST
• Applications are submitted online
Foundation Background and Mission
The Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation (“KTGF”) funds programs in children’s mental health, principally in the areas of childhood/adolescent depression and ADHD. It also funds medical student programs in child and adolescent psychiatry at select medical institutions. Through these programs, the KTGF seeks to further research in pediatric ADHD and pediatric depression, cultivate more child and adolescent psychiatrists and increase knowledge of mental health in physicians.
Five years ago, the KTGF embarked on a new initiative designed to improve access to care and prevention of mental health problems in youth. Our principal objective at that time was to develop new approaches or expand existing models to train professional and/or paraprofessional treatment providers and/or others (e.g. teachers, parents, primary care physicians, etc.) in the provision of mental health services. This approach was based on the Foundation’s interests in the research, development and dissemination of evidence-based treatment approaches which could yield a direct and immediate impact on children currently affected by or at risk for psychiatric disorders, and to enhance the capacity to provide these services through the development of new models of care.
We launched the Access to Care initiative in the Fall of 2015, with an RFP for a demonstration project for established investigators and the addition of Access to Care fellowships for young investigators.
The Access to Care initiative was prompted by the recognition by KTGF Board members, based in part on their personal experiences, that it is often difficult for parents to access appropriate and high-quality care when confronted with challenging mental health needs of their children. The Board was particularly concerned about difficulties in access to care for families with limited supports and financial resources. Recent research suggests that access to mental health care for children does not appear to be improving. As a result, we have decided to “double-down” on our earlier Access to Care initiative and expand it with this current RFP.
Goal of the Request for Proposals
We are soliciting applications for academic investigators conducting research to demonstrate the benefits of new health care delivery methods or prevention approaches. We are particularly interested in funding applications that build on promising pilot work and aim to develop larger demonstration projects.
In particular, the KTGF is most interested in improving access to mental health care for children through the use of novel models or approaches, including (but not limited to) digital technology (e.g. the internet, apps for cell phones), expanding the number of professional and paraprofessional treatment personnel who are trained to deliver mental health services, and delivering care in non-psychiatric settings (e.g., primary care, schools, home, or other novel settings). Primary outcomes should include the measurement of improved access and/or reduced time to service delivery. We are also interested in the following secondary outcomes: minimizing the burdens and maladaptive behaviors associated with mental health problems in children; decreasing the development of secondary co-morbid disorders, and the development of adverse educational, relational and health outcomes; and improving the functioning of youth and their families. Because parents can be important to the successful treatment of their children, another secondary outcome might include the enhanced ability of parents to facilitate their children’s access to treatment.