# Iterative Redesign of a Multifaceted Implementation Strategy for a School-based Behavioral Skills Intervention

> **NIH NIH P50** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2024 · $229,941

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
While the evidence base has grown for interventions for autistic youth, few of these interventions are being
implemented in public schools, the primary setting in which autistic children receive intervention, due to
misalignment of existing implementation strategies with that setting. There is a need for contextually appropriate
implementation strategies to be used to support lay providers in learning and using these interventions. This
three-year project will apply the local Discover, Design, Build, and Test (DDBT) framework to redesign and then
pilot a multifaceted implementation strategy to support paraeducator use of a behavioral skills evidence-based
intervention, RUBI for Educational Settings (RUBIES), for autistic children in public schools. The proposed study
aims to: 1) identify targets for redesign from implementation strategies currently used to support RUBI clinician
implementation to maximize paraeducators’ RUBIES use in schools; 2) iteratively adapt the existing RUBI
implementation strategies; and 3) test the newly-redesigned RUBI in Educational Settings (RUBIES)
implementation strategy compared to the unadapted RUBI implementation strategy on DDBT mechanisms
(engagement, usability, appropriateness), proximal implementation outcomes (adoption, fidelity, adaptation,
reach), and child behaviors (disruptive behavior, functioning, top problems) with 40 paraeducators supporting 80
elementary-school autistic children. Successful completion of the proposed study will result in a refined set of
implementation strategies to support RUBIES use among lay providers in public schools and has the strong
potential to inform how evidence-based practices can be implemented in schools more broadly. Knowledge
gleaned from this study has the potential to improve the quality of life for autistic children served in public schools
across the country.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10847438
- **Project number:** 5P50MH115837-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** JILL J LOCKE
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $229,941
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-05-15 → 2028-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10847438

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10847438, Iterative Redesign of a Multifaceted Implementation Strategy for a School-based Behavioral Skills Intervention (5P50MH115837-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10847438. Licensed CC0.

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