Research and evaluation are fundamental to the Center’s mission of advancing the science on school mental health and developing innovative methods to improve the adoption and sustainment of evidence-based practices (EBP) in the education sector. SMART Center faculty maintain a collaborative, externally-funded program of research with local and national colleagues that has direct relevance to the Assessment and Training arms. To support the Center’s research goals, we maintain a “local laboratory” in Seattle, King County, and the Puget Sound Region (supporting schools, providers, and learning through the process) to evaluate innovative methods of service delivery and quality improvement.
The SMART Center is devoted to research that advances continuous quality improvement of the mental/behavioral health services provided to youth and families in the education sector, including:
- Development and implementation of effective, evidence-based, feasible, and contextually-appropriate assessment and intervention practices for use in schools and community;
- Enhancing data collection and use capacities (e.g., outcome monitoring and data-driven decision making) within a Response-to-Intervention (RtI) / Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) framework;
- Promoting linkages between mental health, physical health, and educational achievement to enhance service integration; and
- Expanding mental/educational health service accessibility, outcomes, and efficiency.