Kiera is a Research Study Assistant for the WERT team and a recent graduate of the University of Washington, where she earned a degree in Sociology with a minor in Education. Her work focuses on equity in education and the structural factors shaping access to mental health resources for children and families of color. Prior to joining the team, Kiera worked in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the Port of Seattle, where she supported data analysis and reporting initiatives focused on advancing equitable policy and organizational accountability. She has also worked across Seattle’s nonprofit and education sectors, working directly with youth and community members to address persistent resource gaps between North and South Seattle schools. While at UW, Kiera served as a research assistant on a research team studying election misinformation and digital information ecosystems. She is a co-author on a forthcoming publication from that work. Outside of work, Kiera enjoys spending time outside with her film camera, as well as reading, baking, and painting.
Background and Goals:
The Wraparound service model (WSM) is the most common care coordination strategy for youth with serious emotional disorders(SEO), with programs in nearly every U.S. state serving more than 100,000 youth. A recent meta-analysis of 17 controlled studies found significant positive effects of WSM on mental health (MH) symptoms, out of home placement rates, and health care expenditures, confirming its critical role in behavioral healthcare for children and adolescents. As is the case for other evidence-based practices, the degree to which data are consistently measured and used to inform care, i.e., "measurement-based care" or MBC, accounts for a large proportion of the variance in outcomes for Wraparound. For example, collection and use of data assessing client satisfaction, therapeutic alliance, and progress substantially increase likelihood of achieving target outcomes as a function of treatment. However, research on WSM shows that measurement and use of data, such as via Routine Outcome Monitoring, is inconsistent at best. The goal of this SBIR is to develop and test a mobile ROM (mROM) system tailored to WSM. The proposed SMART-Wrap (Short Message Assisted Responsive Treatment for Wraparound) product will provide a feasible and acceptable mROM approach for WSM-enrolled parents/caregivers and youth based on evidence-based principles and past research for effective mROM. SMS ("short message system") is supported by every mobile device and network with no software download needed. More than 98% of SMS messages are opened, compared to just 20% of emails, and on average, 90% of SMS messages are opened within the first 3 seconds of receipt.l161 SMART-Wrap will periodically administer brief, straightforward (1-2 items) SMS-based assessments of intermediate outcomes that have been found to predict clinical outcomes of WSM (e.g., harm to self and others, hospitalization, out of home placement)). Data will be used to:- Populate tabular and graphical displays (based on user permissions) to inform decision-making by WSM care providers, supervisors, and program managers (i.e., the WSM care team);
- Trigger alerts to WSM care team members, such as escalation in caregiver stress or youth symptoms; and
- Generate automated SMS outreach messages for families.