ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses future challenges for policy, research, and practice in identifying and implementing evidence-based specialized treatment services for children, youths, and families served by child welfare. All areas of child welfare and behavioral health services should more fully implement trauma-informed care approaches, including those addressing trauma caused by system factors such as poorly handled initial child placement, maltreatment by foster parents and complex trauma. Indeed, the intensity and duration of challenges posed by youth with persistent and complex behavioral health problems are part of the stimulus for identifying an array of service responses to meet their needs. Fortunately, several researchers with considerable experience in conducting research in Therapeutic Residential Care (TRC) have recently proposed four promising approaches for incorporating evidence-based practices (EBPs) into TRC settings. The evidence-based program models tended to be guided by an overall treatment philosophy, may rely on a theory of change, and generally involve a package of case management, psychosocial, and pedagogical elements.
