Skip to main content

Nathaniel Williams, Ph.D., LCSW

Associate Professor

Nate Williams, Social Work, Studio Portrait

Contact Information

Office: Education Building, 711
Email: natewilliams@boisestate.edu
Phone: (208) 426-3145
Office Hours: By Appointment

Curriculum Vitae

Nathaniel Williams, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Boise State University, a licensed clinical social worker in the State of Idaho, and the Research and Program Evaluation Coordinator in Boise State University’s Institute for the Study of Behavioral Health and Addiction. His research focuses on improving the quality of mental health services for youth. As an implementation scientist, much of Dr. Williams’ work seeks to improve the uptake and implementation of evidence-based interventions in mental health settings that serve youth. He has specific substantive expertise in issues related to organizational culture, climate, and leadership. His methodological expertise focuses on the design and analysis of hybrid effectiveness-implementation trials, with an emphasis on testing multilevel mechanisms that explain how implementation strategies work. Dr. Williams is deeply committed to partnered research that generates meaningful improvements in systems and human well-being. His work has been funded by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, the U.S. Institute of Education Sciences, and the State of Idaho.

Dr. Williams holds a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree in social science and master of social work (M.S.W.) degree from Boise State University. He has a doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in social work, with a minor in statistics, from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is the recipient of multiple awards including an NIMH Ruth L. Kirschstein individual pre-doctoral fellowship (F31) and an NIH translational research scholar award through the Institute for Translational Health Sciences at the University of Washington.

Areas of Research

  • Implementation Science
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
  • Organizational Culture and Climate
  • Mechanisms of Change
  • Multilevel Modeling
  • Mediation and Moderation Analysis

Selected Extramural Research Funding

  • 2024-2028: Testing the Efficacy of the Helping Educational Leaders Mobilize Evidence (HELM) Implementation Strategy (R305A240030). U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (PI: Jill Locke). Boise State University ($208,748 subaward with the University of Washington). Role: Subaward PI; Study Co-I. 
  • 2022-2026: Idaho Youth Empowerment Services (YES) System-of-Care Quality Review (BC044900). Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health ($682,000). Boise State University. Role: PI.
  • 2021-2026: Validation of a Causal Model of Implementation (R01MH124897). U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) R01 (PI: Emily Becker-Haimes). Boise State University ($168,084 subaward with the University of Pennsylvania). Role: Subaward PI; Study Co-I. 
  • 2021-2024: Generating Accurate Estimates of Required Sample Size for Multilevel Implementation Studies in Mental Health (R21MH126076). U.S. National Institute of Mental Health R21 ($421,000). Boise State University. Role: PI.
  • 2021-2024: Enhancing Routine Clinical Supervision to Improve MBC Fidelity and Clinical Outcomes (R01MH119127-02S1). U.S. National Institute of Mental Health R01 Administrative Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research ($272,000). Boise State University. Role: PI
  • 2021: Idaho Child Welfare Needs Assessment and Gaps Analysis (KC286100). Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Family and Community Services ($78,000). Boise State University. Role: MPI (with James Beauchemin)
  • 2019-2024: 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 (R01MH119127). U.S. National Institute of Mental Health R01 ($2,478,000). Boise State University. Role: PI .
  • 2018-2022: Evaluation of the Idaho Youth Empowerment Services (YES) System-of-Care Implementation (BC029000). Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health ($316,000). Boise State University. Role: PI.
  • 2017-2021: Transforming Mental Health Care Delivery through Behavioral Economics and Implementation Science (P50MH113840). U.S. National Institute of Mental Health P50 ALACRITY Center (MPIs: Rinad Beidas, David Mandell, Kevin Volpp). Boise State University ($160,422 subaward with the University of Pennsylvania). Roles: Co-Director (Methods Core); Co-Director (Major Project)
  • 2017: Idaho Workforce Development Plan for Children’s Mental Health (BC025900). Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health ($111,000). Boise State University. Role: PI.

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

  • Williams, N. J., Aarons, G. A., Ehrhart, M. G., Esp, S., Vega, N. R., Sklar, M., Carandang, K., Brookman-Frazee, L., & Marcus, S. C. (online ahead of print). Effects of an organizational implementation strategy on sustainment of measurement-based care in community mental health. Psychiatric Services. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202403
  • Williams, N. J., Gomes, A. E., Vega, N. R., Esp, S., Choy-Brown, M., & Beidas, R. S. (online ahead of print). A multilevel framework for recruitment and retention in implementation trials: An illustrative example. Clinical Trials. https://doi.org/10.1177/17407745241307948
  • Beidas, R. S., Linn, K. A., Boggs, J. M., Marcus, S. C., Hoskins, K., Jager-Hyman, S., Johnson, C., Maye, M., Quintana, L. Wolk, C. B., Wright, L., Pappas, C., Beck, A., Bedjeti, K., Buttenheim, A., Daley, M., Elias, M., Lyons, J., Martin, M. L., McArdle, B., Ritzwoller, D., Small, D., Williams, N. J., Zhang, S., Ahmedani, B. (2024). Implementation of a secure firearm storage program in pediatric primary care: A cluster randomized trial. JAMA Pediatrics, 178(11), 1104-1113. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.3274
  • Williams, N. J., Cardamone, N. C., Beidas, R. S., & Marcus, S. C. (2024). Calculating power for multilevel implementation trials in behavioral health: Meaningful effect sizes, intraclass correlation coefficients, and proportions of variance explained by covariates. Implementation Research and Practice, 5, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/263348952412791
  • Williams, N. J., Marcus, S. C., Ehrhart, M. G., Sklar, M., Esp, S., Carandang, K., Vega, N. R., Gomes, A., Brookman-Frazee, L., Aarons, G. A. (2024). Randomized trial of an organizational implementation strategy to improve measurement-based care fidelity and youth outcomes in community mental health. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 63(10), 991-1004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2023.11.010
  • Williams, N. J., Ehrhart, M. G., Aarons, G. A., Esp, S., Sklar, M., Carandang, K., Vega, N. R., Brookman-Frazee, L., & Marcus, S. C. (2024). Improving measurement-based care implementation in youth mental health through organizational leadership and climate: A mechanistic analysis within a randomized trial. Implementation Science, 19(29), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-024-01356-w
  • Lengnick-Hall, R.†, Williams, N. J.†, Ehrhart, M., Willging, C., Bunger, A., Beidas, R., & Aarons, G. (2023). Eight characteristics of rigorous multilevel implementation research: A step-by-step guide. Implementation Science, 18(52), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-023-01302-2  (†Contributed equally)
  • Williams, N. J., Beauchemin, J., Griffis, J., & Marcus, S. C. (2023). Disparities in youth and family experiences of system-of-care principles by level of youth need. Community Mental Health Journal, 59, 1388-1400. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-023-01126-w
  • Williams, N. J., Preacher, K. J., Allison, P. D., Mandell, D. S., & Marcus, S. C. (2022). Required sample size to detect mediation in 3-level implementation studies. Implementation Science, 17(66), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-022-01235-2
  • Williams, N. J., Becker-Haimes, E. M., Schriger, S., Beidas, R. S. (2022). Linking organizational climate for evidence-based practice implementation to observed clinician behavior in patient encounters: a lagged analysis. Implementation Science Communications, 3(64), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-022-00309-y
  • Williams, N. J., Hugh, M. L., Cooney, D. J., Worley, J., & Locke, J. (2022). Testing a theory of implementation leadership and climate across autism evidence-based interventions of varying complexity. Behavior Therapy, 53(5), 900-912. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2022.03.001
  • Williams, N. J., Beauchemin, J., Giuntini, G., Griffis, J., & Mo, Y. (2022). Psychometric evaluation of a pragmatic measure for assessing adherence to System of Care principles in behavioral health service interactions. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 30(3), 221-234. https://doi.org/10.1177/10634266211028204
  • Williams, N. J., Frederick, L., Ching, A., Mandell, D., Kang-Yi, C., & Locke, J. (2021). Embedding school cultures and climates that promote evidence-based practice implementation for youth with autism: A qualitative study. Autism, 25(4), 982-994. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320974509
  • Williams, N. J., Benjamin-Wolk, C., Becker-Haimes, E. M., & Beidas, R. S. (2020). Testing a theory of strategic implementation leadership, implementation climate, and clinicians’ use of evidence-based practice: A 5-year panel analysis. Implementation Science, 15(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-020-0970-7
  • Williams, N. J., & Beidas, R. S. (2019). Annual research review: The state of implementation science in child psychology and psychiatry: A review and suggestions to advance the field. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 60(4), 430-450. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12960
  • Williams, N. J., Frank, H. E., Fredrick, L., Beidas, R. S., Mandell, D. S., Aarons, G. A., Green, P., & Locke, J. (2019). Organizational culture and climate profiles: Relationships with fidelity to three evidence-based practices for autism in elementary schools. Implementation Science, 14(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-019-0863-9
  • Powell, B. J., Fernandez, M. E., Williams, N. J., Aarons, G. A., Beidas, R. S., Lewis, C. C., McHugh, S.  M., & Weiner, B. J. (2019). Enhancing the impact of implementation strategies in healthcare: A research agenda. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00003
  • Williams, N. J., Scott, L., & Aarons, G. A. (2018). Prevalence of serious emotional disturbance among US children: A meta-analysis. Psychiatric Services, 69, 32-40. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201700145
  • Williams, N. J., Glisson, C., Hemmelgarn, A., & Green, P. (2017). Mechanisms of change in the ARC organizational strategy: Increasing mental health clinicians’ EBP adoption through improved organizational culture and capacity. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 44, 269-283. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-016-0742-5
  • Williams, N. J. (2016). Assessing mental health clinicians’ intentions to adopt evidence-based treatments: Reliability and validity testing of the evidence-based treatment intentions scale. Implementation Science, 11(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-016-0417-3
  • Glisson, C., Williams, N. J., Hemmelgarn, A., Proctor, E. K., & Green, P. (2016). Aligning organizational priorities with ARC to improve youth mental health service outcomes. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 84, 713-725. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000107
  • Williams, N. J. (2016). Multilevel mechanisms of implementation strategies in mental health: Integrating theory, research, and practice. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 43, 783-798. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-015-0693-2
  • Glisson, C., & Williams, N. J. (2015). Assessing and changing organizational social contexts for effective mental health services. Annual Review of Public Health, 36, 507-523.https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031914-122435
  • Williams, N. J., & Glisson, C. (2014). Testing a theory of organizational culture, climate and youth outcomes in child welfare systems: A United States national study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 38, 757-767.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.09.003
  • Williams, N. J., & Glisson, C. (2013). Reducing turnover is not enough: The need for proficient organizational cultures to support positive youth outcomes in child welfare. Children and Youth Services Review, 35, 1871-1877. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.09.002
  • Glisson, C., Hemmelgarn, A., Green, P., & Williams, N. J. (2013). Randomized trial of the availability, responsiveness, and continuity (ARC) organizational intervention for improving youth outcomes in community mental health programs. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 52, 493-500.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2013.02.005

Book Chapters

Williams, N. J., Smith, J. D., Landes, S. J., & Curran, G. M. (forthcoming). Effectiveness-implementation hybrid studies to speed the translation of complex health interventions into practice. In L. Wallin & C. Estabrooks (Eds.), Complex Interventions in Health: An Overview of Research Methods. New York: Routledge.

Williams, N. J., & Glisson, C. (2020). Changing organizational social context to support evidence-based practice implementation: A conceptual and empirical review. In B. Albers, A. Shlonsky, & R. Mildon (Eds.), Implementation Science 3.0. (pp. 145-172). New York: Springer.

Williams, N. J., & Glisson, C. (2014). The role of organizational culture and climate in the dissemination and implementation of empirically-supported treatments for youth. In R. Beidas, & P. Kendall (Eds.), Dissemination and Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (pp. 61-81). New York: Oxford University Press.

Selected Technical Reports

  • Williams, N. J., & Beauchemin, J. (2024). Idaho Youth Empowerment Services (YES) family survey results, 2024. [Report to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health]. Boise, ID: Boise State University.
  • Williams, N. J., Beauchemin, J., & Vega, N. (2024). Unmet need for mental health services among Idaho youth, 2024. [Report to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health]. Boise, ID: Boise State University.
  • Beauchemin, J., & Williams, N. J. (2024). Biannual estimate of need for intensive care coordination using Wraparound in Idaho, SFY 2024 (June 2024 report). [Report to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health]. Boise, ID: Boise State University.
  • Williams, N. J. (2021). “How can we be sure kids are getting what they need?” A scoping review of quality measures for child behavioral health. [Report to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health]. Boise, ID: Boise State University.
  • Williams, N. J., & O’Reilly, N. (2018). Idaho Youth Empowerment Services (YES) workforce capacity and gaps analysis. [Report to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health]. Boise, ID: Boise State University.
Google Scholar Citations