# Optimizing CBT Implementation among Community Providers Through Internet-based Consultation and Networking (i-CAN)

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN TUSCALOOSA · 2023 · $180,810

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The goal of this exploratory/developmental (R21) project is to advance the uptake of cognitive-
behavioral therapy (CBT), an evidence-based intervention (EBI) for youth anxiety problems, by
community-based providers. Using readily available, commercial-grade software, we will
develop a highly replicable remote (online) peer consultation and support hub. This hub, termed
Internet-based Consultation and Networking [i-CAN], will be developed with input from
stakeholders, including community providers, using a participatory implementation workgroup
approach. We will then test the feasibility and preliminary impact of i-CAN in the context of a
pilot randomized controlled trial with a diverse sample of providers. The purpose of program
announcement PAR-19-275 is to “support innovative approaches to identifying, understanding,
and developing strategies for overcoming barriers to the adoption…of evidence-based
interventions.” Although clinical anxiety is one of the most impairing and common mental health
problems seen among children and adolescents1, and CBT is considered an established EBI for
anxiety disorders2, most youth do not receive high-quality CBT in their home communities. This
implementation gap is especially prominent for youth who live in rural areas, communities of
color, and low-resources settings.3–5 We are testing i-CAN in a large community that is
characterized by rurality and poverty, and which is highly racially diverse, because remote peer
consultation may be especially beneficial for providers who cannot otherwise access in-person
support to improve their skills. As such, this project addresses disparities by improving access
to EBI resources and tools among the providers who work in under-served communities. In
addition to high

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10676908
- **Project number:** 5R21MH128467-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN TUSCALOOSA
- **Principal Investigator:** Susan Williams White
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $180,810
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-08-05 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10676908

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10676908, Optimizing CBT Implementation among Community Providers Through Internet-based Consultation and Networking (i-CAN) (5R21MH128467-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10676908. Licensed CC0.

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