EffectiveChildTherapy.Org:

A Helpful Resource for Both Families & Providers

EffectiveChildTherapy.Org:

A Helpful Resource for Both Families & Providers

By William J. Leever, PsyD
Editor, EffectiveChildTherapy.org

We live in an era of misinformation. The American Psychological Association (APA) even highlighted this unfortunate fact as a major trend for 2024 (APA Monitor on Psychology, 2024 Trends: Fighting Misinformation and Disinformation in an Election Year). Fortunately, we belong to SCCAP, an organization actively delivering science-backed content to both professionals and the public. As a part of this crucial effort, EffectiveChildTherapy.org (ECT) plays a pivotal role in connecting people with reliable, evidence-based mental health information.

Growth and Development of EffectiveChildTherapy.org

EffectiveChildTherapy.org was initially established in 2008 through a collaboration between SCCAP and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). Under the guidance of outgoing editor and founding member, John Guerry, Ph.D., the website developed into a valued resource for evidence-based treatment recommendations. Designed to educate families and mental health professionals about intervention options, the site continues to serve as a “clearinghouse” of information. Over the years, the website has given families useful information about the entire mental health treatment process, including providing free assessment links to the HGAPS Assessment Center, highlighting levels of scientific support for specific interventions, and offering advice on selecting a provider. ECT also serves as an educational tool for practitioners, educators, and students, promoting the dissemination of research published in the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (JCCAP) and Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (EPCAMH).

Attracting between 7,000 and 12,000 users each month, with peaks during the school year, ECT demonstrates its significant impact through the popularity of pages on behavior therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and other evidence-based treatment approaches. This engagement highlights ECT’s critical role in guiding the public and professionals toward the best therapeutic selections.

Proactive Updates for the Future

To ensure ECT remains a relevant resource for our members, we have launched a few strategic updates to enhance the site’s content. As the editor, I am dedicated to maintaining the content’s accuracy and relevance. We have also enlisted SCCAP’s committees to annually review and refresh relevant sections of the site. Over the course of the year, the Science Committee will scrutinize evidence-based treatments; the Practice Committee will enhance the “Tips & Tools” section; and the Diversity Committee will create new content for minority youth. All will incorporate the latest findings from JCCAP and EPCAMH. The Education & Standards committee has already added helpful video content for parents and families.

As psychological treatments evolves, ECT will also try to keep pace. For example, we will highlight evidence-based insights into task sharing options for non-specialist providers as well as the rise of digital therapies. These efforts are essential for navigating the evolving mental health treatment landscape.

Ultimately, EffectiveChildTherapy.org aims to reflect the latest scientific developments and recommendations in child and adolescent mental health care. By focusing on updating content and exploring new research domains, we reaffirm our dedication to being an essential resource in an era challenged by misinformation.