Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care - Adolescents (MTFC-A) - Implementation Information
Scientific Rating: 1
"Well-Supported by Research Evidence"
Pre-implementation Assessments to be given to organizations or providers in order to measure organizational or individual readiness:
- The training protocol for MTFC includes a planning and readiness process that usually takes several months.
- No decision is made regarding actual implementation until this process has been successfully completed.
- During the process, all aspects relevant to a successful implementation are discussed and reviewed. Necessary accommodations and adjustments in procedures and practices are then made.
- Also, during this process the client is assisted with foster parent recruitment. A sufficient number of foster homes to start operations (4 or 5) must be recruited, licensed, and available for placements before the readiness process is concluded.
- Topics reviewed during the readiness process include:
- Determining program costs and funding
- Foster parent recruitment
- Staffing: Team composition, qualifications, FTE and hiring sequence/timing
- Referrals: Referral criteria, referral mechanisms and procedures
- Geography: Catchment area and location of foster homes
- Placement and matching procedures
- Interface between the program and probation/case workers
- Integration of psychiatry
- Logistical issues (daily behavior information gathering, video recording of weekly meetings)
- Additionally, any site-specific issues are considered
- No written materials that further detail this process are available.
Implementation Tools for the program (e.g., implementation guides or manuals):
- There are operational manuals for program supervision, foster parent recruitment, family therapy, child therapy, foster parent training, and skills training. These are not publicly available.
Fidelity measures:
- In the course of executing the model, daily behavior information is gathered for each of the youth. This information (Parent Daily Report (PDR)) is used to track behavior change over time. The collection and use of this information is also used to assess model adherence and outcomes.
- During the first year of implementation, three structured program reviews are provided so that progress and fidelity can be easily tracked from one review to the next. Once program standards are met, the program applies for program certification with an independent evaluator, the Center for Research to Practice in Eugene, OR.
- Certification standards and application can be found at www.mtfc.com/certification.html.
- Initial certification is valid for a two-year period, re-certification periods are for three years. In between certification points program assessments are offered and, if indicated by the assessments, remedial services are given to help correct model drift.
