Research utilizes existing and new initiatives to expand and iteratively develop additional components of an actionable research agenda, on topics such as telehealth utilization analysis, identification of resource availability and need, and public dissemination on telehealth resources to support children with MEDB needs in geographically dispersed and/or highly mobile situations. Research has evolved to foster collaborative efforts among colleagues based on three primary purposes:
- Program Evaluation & Quality Improvement: A lookover of current activities, such as Project ECHO® implementation, in the DoD Child Collaboration Study and other initiatives as determined is facilitated.
- Focused Research: Foster opportunities for collaborative prospective research and analysis of existing data on shared topics/focuses.
- Dissemination: Facilitate information-sharing with other researchers, and work on strategies to disseminate findings to those in implementation and training. This will include leading the development of a repository of measures and tools for research with military-connected kids and families.
Activities:
- Education, roundtable, and poster presentations
- Scholarly publications
- Collaborative research opportunities
For any questions, please contact Julie Wiliams at julie.williams.ctr@usuhs.edu.
Special Journal Issue
The DoD Child Collaboratory is sponsoring a special issue, led by Drs. Beth Hisle-Gorman, Jessica Simacek, Lucia Reyes, and Elizabeth Burgin, in the Journal of Military and Government Counseling (JMGC) on “Innovations to Improve Mental Health, Emotional, Developmental, and/or Behavioral (MEDB) Care for Military Connected Children and Families.” As the flagship journal of the Military and Government Counseling Association, JMGC recognizes the importance of engaging with communities that serve military-connected children and adolescents through scholarship and evidence-based practice. This special issue aims to provide a vital "state of the field" overview, which we intend to share with stakeholders to underscore the ongoing critical need for research, training, and MEDB care for military youth.
- We are seeking conceptual or empirical articles that address one of the following areas of focus with regard to military children or families with MEDB needs:
- Provider training and support
- Telemedicine and AI innovations in assessment or care delivery
- Military family perspectives and context of care challenges
- The landscape of military MEDB care
- The impact of family member care on military readiness
Final acceptance of the special issue cannot be guaranteed. Manuscripts must adhere to the JMGC Author Guidelines, as well as the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
Proposed timeline:
- Submission of a summary, including a working title, author names, abstract (300 words), and up to three pages of supplementary information (e.g., figures or tables), to the editors by 1 November 2025. Summaries should be submitted at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_zCdJxOPB7AMDmD-cK6tli2dDGMkU4fFeSE0aA4wWeWfGnQ/viewform?usp=preview
- This is a curated special issue. Nonetheless, all proposals and papers will be reviewed for alignment with themes in this solicitation. All papers will undergo blind review. Authors are advised that submission to this special issue or invitation to submit a full paper does not guarantee publication. Invitations to submit manuscripts will be sent to authors on Wednesday, 19 November 2025.
- Submission of completed manuscripts through the Editorial Manager by 5 January 2026.
- Submission of final manuscripts with revisions by 30 March 2026.
- Anticipated publication in the July 2026 issue.
We are truly grateful for your potential contribution to this special issue. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please let us know. We're here to help you in any way we can.
Questions may be directed to Ms. Phuong (Lina) Nguyen: phuong.nguyen.ctr@usuhs.edu.