Improving large‐scale implementations by applying research and data analysis: A case study on First 5 LA's implementation of PCIT in Los Angeles County

• Date: 01 November 2018
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/pa.1712
• Published date: 01 November 2018

PRACTITIONER PAPER

Improving large‐scale implementations by applying research

and data analysis: A case study on First 5 LA's implementation

of PCIT in Los Angeles County

Grace Bahng

1

|Marcia Taborga

2

|Christine Bae

2

|Armando Jimenez

3

1

Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California,

USA

2

Seedling Consulting Group, Los Angeles,

California, USA

3

Evaluation Center of Excellence Department,

First 5 Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California,

USA

Correspondence

Grace Bahng, Azusa Pacific University, 701 E.

Foothill Boulevard., Azusa, CA 91702‐7000,

USA.

Email: gbahng@apu.edu; grace@seedlingcg.

com

Funding information

First 5 Los Angeles, Grant/Award Number:

Project ID: 4017; Contract No: 08671

This paper presents the case of First 5 LA's 5‐year countywide implementation

of the Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) program. Enthusiasts of PCI T

pointtoitasahigh‐quality parenting program with the potential to positively

influence child behavior, reduce recidivism into the child welfare system, and

increase caregiver's confidence and self‐esteem. In September 2012, First 5 LA,

an independent County agency in Los Angeles that advocates on behalf of par-

ents with young children, began a $20 million countywide implementation of

PCIT. The collaborative effort between First 5 LA, the Los Angeles County

Department of Mental Health, the Los Angeles County Department of Children

and Family Services, and the University of California, Davis demonstrates the

role that research and data analysis can play in improving large‐scale

implementations.

The authors of this paper were contracted to conduct an evaluation of the

implementation of the countywide PCIT program, and preliminary outcomes were

analyzed after the first round of data collection in early 2015. This paper will

discuss this case and provide examples of how research and data analysis were used

effectively to make key improvements to the design and implementation of the

program. The paper will then discuss bureaucratic challenges and constraints with

the collaborative use of research and data. The paper will conclude with some

recommendations on how research and data can effectively be used to influence pol-

icy implementation in large‐scale implementations involving collaboration among mul-

tiple organizations.

1|INTRODUCTION

This paper presents the case of First 5 Los Angeles's (First 5 LA)

implementation of the Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

Training Program throughout all of Los Angeles County to

demonstrate how research and data analysis can be used to improve

the implementation of large‐scale programs. First 5 LA is an inde-

pendent County agency in Los Angeles that advocates on behalf of

parents with young children. In October 2012, First 5 LA launched

a5‐year, $20 million initiative to implement the First 5 LA PCIT

Training Program throughout all of Los Angeles County. Supporters

of PCIT highlight it as a high‐quality parenting program and an evi-

dence‐based practice (EBP) for effectively reducing symptoms

among children between the ages of 2 to 7 years with emotional

and behavioral challenges.

First 5 LA began its initiative throughout all of LA County with the

overarching goal of establishing a workforce with the skills to serve

children between the ages of 2 to 5 years old using PCIT

interventions. The $20 million initiative allocated funds for the follow-

ing: (a) PCIT training for up to 400 mental health clinicians at up to

100 agencies, (b) build‐outs for new PCIT therapy rooms in agencies

offering PCIT, (c) PCIT therapy services to children in Los Angeles

Received: 7 March 2018 Accepted: 14 March 2018

DOI: 10.1002/pa.1712

J Public Affairs. 2018;18:e1712.

https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.1712

© 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/pa 1of7