Form Qualitative Interv Qualitative Interv Qualitative Interview Protocol

OMB No. 0930-XXXX
Expires: MM/DD/YYYY

Qualitative Interview Protocol
Background
1. Can you start by providing some background information about your role on the grant
(e.g. what are your current responsibilities)? Do you have additional responsibilities
outside this role? If so, can you briefly describe these and what percentage of time you
spend on grant-related activities?
2. How did you first become involved with the MHFA/YMHFA initiative?
3. How long have you been working in [name of SEA, LEA, or Community organization]?
Can you describe your work prior to becoming involved with the grant?

Local Context and MHFA/YMHFA Activities
4. Prior to receiving the MHFA/YMHFA grant, what would you say were the most
significant strengths and challenges related to the provision of behavioral health services
in your school/district/community? (Probe for specific strengths and challenges
regarding mental health literacy and intervention training as well as information about
the overall climate and culture (e.g. attitudes and beliefs) regarding substance abuse and
mental health).
5. Are there specific policies or practices in place that support the provision of services?
Policies or practices that pose a barrier to the provision of services? (Probe for state,
school/district, community).
6. In what ways, if any, does the MHFA/YMHFA initiative connect to/build on existing
efforts in your [state, district, community]? (Probe for other initiatives or sources of
funding). In your opinion, do these existing strategies represent a coordinated approach?
If yes, please describe. If no, what needs to happen to make these efforts more
coordinated (or less fragmented)?
7. Please describe your MHFA/YMHFA activities (e.g., who does the training target, when
was training implemented).

Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this project is 0930-0xxx. Public
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 45 minutes per respondent, per year, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing
the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15E57-B,
Rockville, Maryland, 20857.

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OMB No. 0930-XXXX
Expires: MM/DD/YYYY

MHFA/YMHFA Implementation
Synthesis and Translation System
8. Can you describe the planning process for MHFA/YMHFA implementation? (Probe for
information about a needs assessment, resources that supported planning, challenges that
emerged, strategies to address challenges and meet training and implementation goals.)
9. How would you rate the MHFA training and training materials? (Probe for information
about whether the materials were easy to understand, the format or delivery of the
content, etc.). In what ways could the materials be improved?
10. What types of feedback have you received about the training and training materials?
What have trainees’ reports as most useful? Least useful? In what areas is additional
training needed?
Support System
11. Please describe the training that you received regarding implementation of the
MHFA/YMHFA curriculum. What aspects were most helpful? In what areas would you
have liked more training?
12. How many individuals have been identified as trainers for MHFA/YMHFA? How many
of these were credentialed? How many people have received training on the
MHFA/YMHFA curriculum? Are these numbers consistent with what was proposed in
your grant application?
What challenges have you experienced in recruiting trainers and trainees? Are there
strategies in place to address these challenges? Please describe. In what ways do you
think recognition of mental health issues would change if more people were trained?
13. How would you characterize the level of buy-in and support for MHFA/YMHFA? (Probe
about buy-in and support at the district, administrator, and/or staff levels.) What has
contributed to this level of buy-in and support?
14. What organizational supports are currently in place to support implementation fidelity?
What additional supports are needed?
15. What is your current strategy for tracking trainees? Is the tracking strategy useful in
helping you contact trainees? If not, please describe the challenges you experienced.
What supports are needed to better facilitate contact with trainees?

Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this project is 0930-0xxx. Public
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 45 minutes per respondent, per year, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing
the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15E57-B,
Rockville, Maryland, 20857.

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OMB No. 0930-XXXX
Expires: MM/DD/YYYY
16. Does your [school, district, organization] offer any follow up training activities related to
MHFA/YMHFA (e.g. supplementary training, opportunities to connect with other
trainees)? If yes, please describe. If not, what types of follow up activities would be most
beneficial?
Delivery System
17. To what extent has your [school, district, organization] practices changed as a result of
MHFA/YMHFA implementation (ask interviewee to rate the level of change on a scale
of 1 to 10). Please provide specific examples of the changes you have observed. Probe
for changes in:
a. mental health awareness,
b. engagement with individuals showing signs of distress,
c. changes to or the development of protocols and procedures for making mental
health referrals,
d. changes in the number of mental health referrals
(If few or no changes reported) In your opinion, why has the training had little to no
impact on daily practices? What would it take to bring about the desired behavioral
changes?
18. What changes or outcomes have you seen?
a. In terms of understanding of mental health issues?
b. In terms of organizational climate?
c. In terms of relationships with community partners (such as places to which youth
might be referred for assessment or treatment)?
d. In terms of processes and procedures for identification for services and service
delivery?
e. Any changes in the availability of services, the number of individuals served)?
19. What challenges exist between your school/district/organization and partners?

Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this project is 0930-0xxx. Public
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 45 minutes per respondent, per year, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing
the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15E57-B,
Rockville, Maryland, 20857.

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OMB No. 0930-XXXX
Expires: MM/DD/YYYY

Closing
20. Are there any other significant strengths and supports that have facilitated
implementation of MHFA/YMHFA? Any additional barriers or challenges?
21. What important lessons would you share with another SEA/LEA/Community
organization that is considering implementing MHFA/YMHFA (Probe for anything the
respondent would have done differently or sooner?)
22. Do you have any concerns about the sustainability of MHFA/YMHFA once funding has
ended? If no, what supports are in place to promote sustainability? If, yes, what are your
biggest concerns? What do you think needs to happen to promote sustainability?

Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this project is 0930-0xxx. Public
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 45 minutes per respondent, per year, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing
the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15E57-B,
Rockville, Maryland, 20857.

MHFA Evaluation: Qualitative Interview Protocol—4