# Advancing Implementation of Single Session Interventions in Schools

> **NIH NIH F31** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $48,974

## Abstract

Project Summary.
Schools are one of the most common settings where youth seek mental health services, yet existing
school-based mental health interventions are often difficult to implement due to time, cost, and staffing
limitations. There is a particular need for school-based interventions that target students with mild or moderate
concerns (often called Tier 2 interventions) to address problems before they escalate and require intensive
treatment. Digital, self-administered Single Session Interventions (SSIs) are evidence-based supports that are
intentionally structured to deliver a clinically-meaningful dosage of evidence-based content within one session.
Although multiple studies have found clinical effectiveness for school-based SSIs, there have been no systemic
efforts to understand how SSIs can be practically implemented in schools as Tier 2 supports. In line with
Objective 4.2 of the NIMH Strategic Plan, which aims to “expedite adoption, sustained implementation, and
continuous improvement of evidence-based mental health services” this project aims to understand how
evidence-based SSIs can be sustainably implemented in schools as Tier 2 supports, ultimately improving the
likelihood of youth accessing mental health support. This proposal serves as a critical step in furthering the PI’s
long-term goal of becoming an expert in the implementation of scalable school-based mental health
interventions and pursuing an independently funded research career. Through this project, the PI will conduct
focus groups (five groups, total n = 25-30) among community members (i.e., students, parents/caregivers,
teachers, school administrators, and school mental health providers) to assess perceived facilitators and
barriers to the effective implementation of evidence-based SSIs in schools (Aim 1). The PI will then work in
partnership with community members (n = 10-15) to co-design multi-level implementation strategies (i.e.,
student-directed, staff-directed, system-directed) for increasing uptake and promoting sustainability of
school-based SSIs (Aim 2). The proposed project is significant because it is the first to systematically
investigate the real-world implementation of SSIs in schools. The completion of this project in combination with
a training plan that consists of mentorship, coursework, and professional development activities will allow the
PI to develop expertise deploying implementation science methods in school settings (Training Aim 1),
strengthen skills in qualitative data collection and analysis (Training Aim 2), and develop expertise in Human
Centered Design for co-creation of implementation strategies (Training Aim 3). The PI will be in an ideal
training environment at Northwestern University to conduct this study and learn how to develop a robust
program of research. With the mentorship of Dr. Jessica Schleider (Sponsor), Dr. Sara Becker (Co-Sponsor),
and an expert consultant team, this study will launch the PI’s development as an indepen...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11067406
- **Project number:** 1F31MH139185-01
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Katherine Cohen
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $48,974
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11067406

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11067406, Advancing Implementation of Single Session Interventions in Schools (1F31MH139185-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11067406. Licensed CC0.

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