ABOUT US

We envision a future where every child’s emotional and behavioral needs are met within their own communities, in settings that can serve them best.

Although effective techniques for addressing children’s emotional and behavioral disorders have been developed, it takes at least ten years for these methods to reach the children who urgently need them. Ten years is too long in a child’s life.

The REsource for Advancing Children's Health (REACH) was founded to accelerate the acceptance and effective use of proven interventions that foster children’s emotional and behavioral health.  We do this by:

• Identifying and validating the highest-quality scientific findings
• Adapting these new interventions to make them user-, family, and patient-friendly
• Quickly disseminating and implementing these proven interventions, and
• Providing hands-on training and support to improve children’s mental health nationwide.

Building on the unique expertise of our staff with wide experience in city, state, and federal government settings and academia, REACH is successful because we involve key community partners and stakeholders to identify and adapt science-based intervention methods relevant to their highest-priority needs, while ensuring that these methods are user- and family-friendly. Through these partners, we rapidly disseminate up-to-date information and provide hands-on training in real-world settings. Our key partnerships engage families, health care professionals, mental health organizations, educators, and policy makers—and together, we make a meaningful difference for children with emotional and behavioral disorders every day.  This process is described below:

When assessment and treatment methods have been shown to be effective, REACH works with key partners to roll out programs on a local, state and national scale to reach children, parents and families. These efforts ensure that they have high quality mental health care in their own communities, in settings that can serve them best.

REACH applies this four step process with a wide variety partners, including:

• Schools
• Primary care
• Psychiatric hospitals
• Mental health advocacy organizations
• Families
• Clinical training facilities
• Federal, national, state and local mental health agencies

Through these efforts, we strive to further public understanding and hands on application of best methods for assisting children, parents and families. REACH is deeply committed to advancing the national agenda for children’s mental health by improving the links between research, practice and policy.