Feasibility and Acceptability of an Adapted Evidence-Based Team Training Approach From Health care to the Early Intervention Context: A Brief Report

Abstract

Interdisciplinary team collaboration is a foundational value of early intervention (EI) services; however, preservice education programs and continued education or professional development opportunities for EI providers rarely focus on how to effectively navigate team dynamics. Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) is an established evidence-based intervention for improving team processes in health care and has shown promise for school mental health service teams. In this descriptive paper, we detail our adaptation of TeamSTEPPS for use with an EI organization, the resulting impact on provider perceptions of teamwork, and acceptability of the TeamSTEPPS training and curriculum in this context. These findings provide important insights into the needs of EI providers as it pertains to training and support on interdisciplinary teamwork and collaboration.