Nathaniel J. Williams, Ph.D., L.C.S.W.
Children’s Mental Health, Mental Health Services, Implementation Science
Email: natewilliams@boisestate.edu
Keywords: implementation science, child adolescent mental health, evidence-based practice, organizational culture, organizational climate
Research Profile:
Dr. Williams’ research agenda focuses broadly on implementation science in children’s mental health services and specifically on understanding how organizational culture and climate can be leveraged to improve evidence-based practice implementation and clinical outcomes in mental health services for youth.
Dr. Williams’ research has attracted external funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the State of Idaho. Currently, he serves as PI of an NIMH-funded R01 ($2.5 million) that tests an organizational implementation strategy designed to improve the implementation and sustainment of a digital measurement-based care system in outpatient children’s mental health clinics. He also serves as Co-PI of the Methods Core and Co-PI of a Major Project in the University of Pennsylvania’s NIMH-funded P50 ALACRITY Center which focuses on the integration of implementation science and behavioral economics. During the last five years, he has served as PI on research contracts from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health totaling $275,000 to date. This work has addressed Idaho State’s comprehensive children’s mental health service system re-design called Youth Empowerment Services. Dr. Williams has published more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters in journals such as the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Implementation Science, Annual Review of Public Health, Psychiatric Services, Administration and Policy in Mental Health, and Child Abuse and Neglect. A hallmark of his scientific work has been successful collaboration with multiple federally-funded researchers at institutions across the country and the production of multiple, high-impact, peer-reviewed publications from each project.
Current Research and Research Goals:
Dr. Williams’ research agenda focuses broadly on implementation science in children’s mental health services and specifically on understanding how organizational culture and climate can be leveraged to improve evidence-based practice implementation and clinical outcomes in mental health services for youth.
Current Funding:
Randomized Trial of a Leadership and Organizational Change Strategy to Improve the Implementation and Sustainment of Digital Measurement-based Care in Youth Mental Health Services
2019-2023
NIMH R01 ($2,478,000)
Boise State University
Role: PI
Improving the Quality and Outcomes of Children’s Mental Health Services in Idaho
2018-2019
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health ($69,000)
Boise State University
Role: PI
Advancing Mechanisms of Implementation to Accelerate Sustainable Evidence-Based Practice Integration
2018-2020
AHRQ R13 ($105,000, PI: Cara Lewis, PhD)
Boise State University
Role: Investigative team
Transforming Mental Health Care Delivery through Behavioral Economics and Implementation Science
2017-2021
NIMH ALACRITY Center ($6,400,000, PIs: Rinad Beidas, David Mandell, Kevin Volpp)
Boise State University (subaward with the University of Pennsylvania)
Roles: Co-PI (Methods Core)
Co-PI (Major Project)
Honors and Achievements:
Mechanisms Network of Expertise, Member Society for Implementation Research Collaboration (SIRC)
2018-2021
NIH Translation Research Scholar
2017
NIH National Center for Advancing Translation Sciences (NCATS)
Institute of Translational Health Sciences
University of Washington
Ruth L. Kirschstein, Individual Pre-Doctoral Fellowship
2012-2015
National Institute of Mental Health (F31)
College of Social Work
University of Tennessee, Knoxville