Geetha Gopalan
Biographic Data
| ID | 6092879 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Geetha Gopalan |
| GIVEN NAMES | Geetha |
| FAMILY NAME | Gopalan |
| SIGNATURE | GOPALAN G |
| AFFILIATIONS | Hunter College |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2600-8030 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 19 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 48 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 19 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2010 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
What factors impact transfer of learning in child welfare
Stakeholder perspectives on acceptability of implementing a child mental health intervention in child welfare services
This pilot study sought to examine the acceptability of implementing a modified behavioral parent training program, the 4Rs and 2Ss intervention, within a Child Welfare (CW) placement prevention service. CW staff ( n =12; caseplanners ( n =6), supervisors ( n =4), and administrators ( n =2)) and CW-involved families ( n =12) completed surveys which were followed by semi-structured interviews and a focus group to explore the acceptability of imple…
Screening and Assessment of Suicidal Behavior in Transition-Age Youth with Foster Care Involvement
An Examination of the 4 Rs 2 Ss for Problem Behaviors
Early treatment of behavioral problems can prevent their progression into intractable disorders. This study examined the impact of a multiple family group (MFG) intervention for children with behavior symptoms and their families. Fifty-four ( n = 54) caregiver/child dyads with sub-clinical levels of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) participated in a 16-week MFG. Child, caregiver, and family outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, a…
Exploring the Role of Standardized Instruments and Consultation in Reducing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Treatment for Behavioral Problems
This study was part of a larger study of Partnering for Success, a federally funded initiative focused on providing evidence-based outpatient mental health treatment to children involved with or at risk for involvement with the child welfare system. With a sample of 782 children, the study explored strategies that therapists can use to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in treatment for behavioral problems in children. The results provide promi…
Peer models for families involved in the child welfare system
Absorptive capacity in child welfare
Child Welfare (CW) provides an array of services to meet the needs of families, requiring agencies to be malleable in their ability to absorb new practices. Absorptive capacity (ACAP) refers to the routines and processes in which an organization acquires, assimilates, and applies new knowledge. ACAP has yet to be the focus of implementation research in CW settings. This exploratory study elicited feedback from CW staff in determining factors to c…
Caregiver-relevant perspectives from a multi-stakeholder collaborative advisory board on adapting a child mental health intervention to be delivered in child-welfare settings
Adapting evidence based mental health interventions (EBI) to be provided in child welfare (CW) settings by CW workers could reduce barriers to families receiving mental health care. In order to promote implementation success, the adaptation of EBIs should include the perspectives of those who deliver and those who receive the EBI. The following study uses qualitative methods to elicit and analyze caregiver-relevant perspectives and adaption recom…
Examining a peer-delivered program for child welfare-involved caregivers at risk for depression
Caregivers involved in the child welfare system are at heightened risk for depression, which has innumerable, deleterious effects upon the family. Screening and active outreach can facilitate identification and service use, yet there are considerable obstacles to detection and help-seeking. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a peer-delivered detection and active outreach program upon depression and engagement in mental health …
Perceptions Among Child Welfare Staff when Modifying A Child Mental Health Intervention to be Implemented in Child Welfare Services
In order to increase access to child mental health evidence‐based interventions ( EBI s) for vulnerable and hard‐to‐engage families involved in the child welfare ( CW ) system, innovative approaches coupled with input from service providers are needed. One potential solution involves utilizing task‐shifting strategies and implementation science theoretical frameworks to implement such EBI s in CW settings. This study examined perceptions among CW…
Absorptive capacity in child welfare
Promoting successful implementation of evidence-based practices within child welfare agencies necessitates accurately measuring absorptive capacity (i.e., the ability to acquire, assimilate, transform, and exploit knowledge) through valid and reliable assessment. However, a measurement tool does not exist for child welfare agencies. As such, this exploratory study identified existing measures and items relevant to absorptive capacity in child wel…
Statewide Implementation of the 4 Rs and 2 Ss for Strengthening Families
Embedding evidence-informed practices for children with mental health needs into "real-world" community settings has proven challenging. In this article, we discuss how the Practical, Robust, Implementation, and Sustainability Model (PRISM) guided statewide (New York) implementation of an evidence-informed intervention targeting families and youth with oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, collectively referred to as disruptive behavior dis…
Validation of the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form With Minority Caregivers
The PSI-SF could be integrated as part of screening and intake assessment procedures, which could allow social work practitioners to make more informed decisions about treatment planning, as well as facilitate conversations with caregivers around identifying sources of stress and developing healthy coping strategies
Meeting the Complex Needs of Urban Youth and Their Families Through the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program
Youth living in poverty face compounding familial and environmental challenges in utilizing effective community mental health services. They have ongoing stressors that increase their dropout rate in mental health service use. Difficulties also exist in staying engaged in services when they are involved with the child welfare system. This study examines the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program, developed across four broad conceptual categories re…
Multiple Family Groups for Child Behavior Difficulties
High acceptability suggest utility for implementing MFGs within settings serving child welfare involved families, with additional modifications to tailor to setting and client features
Project Step-Up
Inner-city, low-income Black and Latino youth are at high risk for developing severe behavioral difficulties and dropping out of high school. After-school programs are excellent resources for targeting these issues, yet most focus on middle school populations, address either academic or socioemotional issues rather than a combination of efforts, and struggle to engage at-risk youth. This article presents feasibility data regarding mental health n…
A Collaboratively Designed Child Mental Health Service Model
This paper presents preliminary outcomes associated with an experimental, longitudinal study of a Multiple Family Group (MFG) service delivery approach set within thirteen urban outpatient clinics serving children and their families living in inner-city, primarily African American and Latino communities. Specifically, this paper focuses on parent reports of child oppositional behavior and parenting stress over time. MFG is a flexible, protocol-dr…
It Takes a Village to Deliver and Test Child and Family-Focused Services
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to highlight the benefits of collaboration in child focused mental health services research. METHOD: Three unique research projects are described. These projects address the mental health needs of vulnerable, urban, minority children and their families. In each one, service delivery was codesigned, interventions were co-delivered and a team of stakeholders collaboratively tested the impact of each one. R…
The effect of a learning collaborative to improve engagement in child mental health services
A Collaboratively Designed Child Mental Health Service Model
This paper presents preliminary outcomes associated with an experimental, longitudinal study of a Multiple Family Group (MFG) service delivery approach set within thirteen urban outpatient clinics serving children and their families living in inner-city, primarily African American and Latino communities. Specifically, this paper focuses on parent reports of child oppositional behavior and parenting stress over time. MFG is a flexible, protocol-dr…
Validation of the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form With Minority Caregivers
The PSI-SF could be integrated as part of screening and intake assessment procedures, which could allow social work practitioners to make more informed decisions about treatment planning, as well as facilitate conversations with caregivers around identifying sources of stress and developing healthy coping strategies
Multiple Family Groups for Child Behavior Difficulties
High acceptability suggest utility for implementing MFGs within settings serving child welfare involved families, with additional modifications to tailor to setting and client features
It Takes a Village to Deliver and Test Child and Family-Focused Services
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to highlight the benefits of collaboration in child focused mental health services research. METHOD: Three unique research projects are described. These projects address the mental health needs of vulnerable, urban, minority children and their families. In each one, service delivery was codesigned, interventions were co-delivered and a team of stakeholders collaboratively tested the impact of each one. R…
Perceptions Among Child Welfare Staff when Modifying A Child Mental Health Intervention to be Implemented in Child Welfare Services
In order to increase access to child mental health evidence‐based interventions ( EBI s) for vulnerable and hard‐to‐engage families involved in the child welfare ( CW ) system, innovative approaches coupled with input from service providers are needed. One potential solution involves utilizing task‐shifting strategies and implementation science theoretical frameworks to implement such EBI s in CW settings. This study examined perceptions among CW…
Absorptive capacity in child welfare
Promoting successful implementation of evidence-based practices within child welfare agencies necessitates accurately measuring absorptive capacity (i.e., the ability to acquire, assimilate, transform, and exploit knowledge) through valid and reliable assessment. However, a measurement tool does not exist for child welfare agencies. As such, this exploratory study identified existing measures and items relevant to absorptive capacity in child wel…
Meeting the Complex Needs of Urban Youth and Their Families Through the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program
Youth living in poverty face compounding familial and environmental challenges in utilizing effective community mental health services. They have ongoing stressors that increase their dropout rate in mental health service use. Difficulties also exist in staying engaged in services when they are involved with the child welfare system. This study examines the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program, developed across four broad conceptual categories re…
Statewide Implementation of the 4 Rs and 2 Ss for Strengthening Families
Embedding evidence-informed practices for children with mental health needs into "real-world" community settings has proven challenging. In this article, we discuss how the Practical, Robust, Implementation, and Sustainability Model (PRISM) guided statewide (New York) implementation of an evidence-informed intervention targeting families and youth with oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, collectively referred to as disruptive behavior dis…
Stakeholder perspectives on acceptability of implementing a child mental health intervention in child welfare services
This pilot study sought to examine the acceptability of implementing a modified behavioral parent training program, the 4Rs and 2Ss intervention, within a Child Welfare (CW) placement prevention service. CW staff ( n =12; caseplanners ( n =6), supervisors ( n =4), and administrators ( n =2)) and CW-involved families ( n =12) completed surveys which were followed by semi-structured interviews and a focus group to explore the acceptability of imple…
Absorptive capacity in child welfare
Child Welfare (CW) provides an array of services to meet the needs of families, requiring agencies to be malleable in their ability to absorb new practices. Absorptive capacity (ACAP) refers to the routines and processes in which an organization acquires, assimilates, and applies new knowledge. ACAP has yet to be the focus of implementation research in CW settings. This exploratory study elicited feedback from CW staff in determining factors to c…
Examining a peer-delivered program for child welfare-involved caregivers at risk for depression
Caregivers involved in the child welfare system are at heightened risk for depression, which has innumerable, deleterious effects upon the family. Screening and active outreach can facilitate identification and service use, yet there are considerable obstacles to detection and help-seeking. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a peer-delivered detection and active outreach program upon depression and engagement in mental health …
Project Step-Up
Inner-city, low-income Black and Latino youth are at high risk for developing severe behavioral difficulties and dropping out of high school. After-school programs are excellent resources for targeting these issues, yet most focus on middle school populations, address either academic or socioemotional issues rather than a combination of efforts, and struggle to engage at-risk youth. This article presents feasibility data regarding mental health n…
The effect of a learning collaborative to improve engagement in child mental health services
It Takes a Village to Deliver and Test Child and Family-Focused Services
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to highlight the benefits of collaboration in child focused mental health services research. METHOD: Three unique research projects are described. These projects address the mental health needs of vulnerable, urban, minority children and their families. In each one, service delivery was codesigned, interventions were co-delivered and a team of stakeholders collaboratively tested the impact of each one. R…
The effect of a learning collaborative to improve engagement in child mental health services
A Collaboratively Designed Child Mental Health Service Model
This paper presents preliminary outcomes associated with an experimental, longitudinal study of a Multiple Family Group (MFG) service delivery approach set within thirteen urban outpatient clinics serving children and their families living in inner-city, primarily African American and Latino communities. Specifically, this paper focuses on parent reports of child oppositional behavior and parenting stress over time. MFG is a flexible, protocol-dr…
Project Step-Up
Inner-city, low-income Black and Latino youth are at high risk for developing severe behavioral difficulties and dropping out of high school. After-school programs are excellent resources for targeting these issues, yet most focus on middle school populations, address either academic or socioemotional issues rather than a combination of efforts, and struggle to engage at-risk youth. This article presents feasibility data regarding mental health n…
Statewide Implementation of the 4 Rs and 2 Ss for Strengthening Families
Embedding evidence-informed practices for children with mental health needs into "real-world" community settings has proven challenging. In this article, we discuss how the Practical, Robust, Implementation, and Sustainability Model (PRISM) guided statewide (New York) implementation of an evidence-informed intervention targeting families and youth with oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, collectively referred to as disruptive behavior dis…
Validation of the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form With Minority Caregivers
The PSI-SF could be integrated as part of screening and intake assessment procedures, which could allow social work practitioners to make more informed decisions about treatment planning, as well as facilitate conversations with caregivers around identifying sources of stress and developing healthy coping strategies
Meeting the Complex Needs of Urban Youth and Their Families Through the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program
Youth living in poverty face compounding familial and environmental challenges in utilizing effective community mental health services. They have ongoing stressors that increase their dropout rate in mental health service use. Difficulties also exist in staying engaged in services when they are involved with the child welfare system. This study examines the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program, developed across four broad conceptual categories re…
Multiple Family Groups for Child Behavior Difficulties
High acceptability suggest utility for implementing MFGs within settings serving child welfare involved families, with additional modifications to tailor to setting and client features
Absorptive capacity in child welfare
Promoting successful implementation of evidence-based practices within child welfare agencies necessitates accurately measuring absorptive capacity (i.e., the ability to acquire, assimilate, transform, and exploit knowledge) through valid and reliable assessment. However, a measurement tool does not exist for child welfare agencies. As such, this exploratory study identified existing measures and items relevant to absorptive capacity in child wel…
Perceptions Among Child Welfare Staff when Modifying A Child Mental Health Intervention to be Implemented in Child Welfare Services
In order to increase access to child mental health evidence‐based interventions ( EBI s) for vulnerable and hard‐to‐engage families involved in the child welfare ( CW ) system, innovative approaches coupled with input from service providers are needed. One potential solution involves utilizing task‐shifting strategies and implementation science theoretical frameworks to implement such EBI s in CW settings. This study examined perceptions among CW…
Caregiver-relevant perspectives from a multi-stakeholder collaborative advisory board on adapting a child mental health intervention to be delivered in child-welfare settings
Adapting evidence based mental health interventions (EBI) to be provided in child welfare (CW) settings by CW workers could reduce barriers to families receiving mental health care. In order to promote implementation success, the adaptation of EBIs should include the perspectives of those who deliver and those who receive the EBI. The following study uses qualitative methods to elicit and analyze caregiver-relevant perspectives and adaption recom…
Examining a peer-delivered program for child welfare-involved caregivers at risk for depression
Caregivers involved in the child welfare system are at heightened risk for depression, which has innumerable, deleterious effects upon the family. Screening and active outreach can facilitate identification and service use, yet there are considerable obstacles to detection and help-seeking. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a peer-delivered detection and active outreach program upon depression and engagement in mental health …
Absorptive capacity in child welfare
Child Welfare (CW) provides an array of services to meet the needs of families, requiring agencies to be malleable in their ability to absorb new practices. Absorptive capacity (ACAP) refers to the routines and processes in which an organization acquires, assimilates, and applies new knowledge. ACAP has yet to be the focus of implementation research in CW settings. This exploratory study elicited feedback from CW staff in determining factors to c…
An Examination of the 4 Rs 2 Ss for Problem Behaviors
Early treatment of behavioral problems can prevent their progression into intractable disorders. This study examined the impact of a multiple family group (MFG) intervention for children with behavior symptoms and their families. Fifty-four ( n = 54) caregiver/child dyads with sub-clinical levels of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) participated in a 16-week MFG. Child, caregiver, and family outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, a…
Exploring the Role of Standardized Instruments and Consultation in Reducing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Treatment for Behavioral Problems
This study was part of a larger study of Partnering for Success, a federally funded initiative focused on providing evidence-based outpatient mental health treatment to children involved with or at risk for involvement with the child welfare system. With a sample of 782 children, the study explored strategies that therapists can use to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in treatment for behavioral problems in children. The results provide promi…
Peer models for families involved in the child welfare system
Screening and Assessment of Suicidal Behavior in Transition-Age Youth with Foster Care Involvement
What factors impact transfer of learning in child welfare
Stakeholder perspectives on acceptability of implementing a child mental health intervention in child welfare services
This pilot study sought to examine the acceptability of implementing a modified behavioral parent training program, the 4Rs and 2Ss intervention, within a Child Welfare (CW) placement prevention service. CW staff ( n =12; caseplanners ( n =6), supervisors ( n =4), and administrators ( n =2)) and CW-involved families ( n =12) completed surveys which were followed by semi-structured interviews and a focus group to explore the acceptability of imple…
Psychology (18 works) · Medicine (14 works) · Psychiatry (13 works) · Mental health (12 works) · Political science (12 works) · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development (10 works) · Child Welfare and Adoption (8 works) · Nursing (8 works) · Welfare (8 works) · Medical education (7 works)