The REACH Institute, formally launched in July 2007, is the brainchild of Dr. Peter S. Jensen. During his tenure as the Associate Director of Child and Adolescent Research at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Dr. Jensen realized that, despite remarkable advances in the scientific knowledge of brain development, mental health problems, and their treatments, healthcare professionals were not consistently or effectively applying this knowledge in diagnosing and treating common childhood mental disorders. As a result, the gaps between scientific knowledge and the practical application of effective mental health services to children and adolescents were growing wider. Dr. Jensen’s goal was to develop the necessary methods for closing the gap between science and practice, by getting research off the shelf and into the hands of people who could make a difference in children’s emotional and behavioral well-being. The inspiration was born and Dr. Jensen created the REACH Institute designed to gather together leading scientists, mental health experts, agencies, primary care providers, parents and schools, in order to reach consensus the best available scientific findings that might be used to help children, followed by the implementation, dissemination, and evaluation of these methods — “putting science to work.”
The REACH Institute’s dedicated mission is to take the latest scientific findings from universities across the country and to rapidly disseminate it to families and helping professionals that need it now, rather than 20 years hence.
We hope you enjoy our blog and please join the REACH Institute in our mission to advance the mental health of children nationwide.
For more information on The REACH Institute and our training programs, please visit us at: www.thereachinstitute.org
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- Helping Overlooked and Underserved Children: The REACH Institute’s Efforts to Get Help to Kids Who Need it Now!
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2 Comments
Hello, I just read “What Does Child mental Health Services Quality Cost?”-The Agency that i work for, Gateway-Longview, in buffalo, NY, is expected to open a new outpatient mental health clinic in the next several months—Incorporating our experience and expertise re: children in various levels of formal care we want to become a part of community that provides responsive and effective mental health services for children ages 3-21 and their caregivers. We expect to partner with The REACH Institute for clinical training, and I am wondering—are there any existing models that you could recommend i take a look at? Also, i have a specific interest in creating a welcoming, soothing waiting room area—do you know of any links, research related to that subject? Thanks for your work!
Great question. Yes, I and several colleagues are working on an economic model in a group called CATCH Services (Collaborative Approaches to Children’s Health Care). It is not publicly available however, but I would be glad to chat with you about it. You can reach me at Mayo Clinic via my assistant Tanya, 507-284-4431, who can set us up with a good time to talk.