At the core of the DoD Child Collaboration Study lies the dynamic research collaboratory of the Center for Deployment Psychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, USU Pediatrics and Family Medicine, the University of Minnesota, and Georgetown University. This collaboratory is a pivotal nucleus for identifying, studying, integrating, developing, and disseminating essential information about the mental health, emotional, developmental, and/or behavioral (MEDB) needs of military-connected youth and families. This effort fosters mutually reinforcing activities to support the collective impact effort across the DoD Child Collaboration Study. Collaboratory efforts directly contribute to the need for increased communication, connection, and collaboration to improve access to care and support for military youth with MEDB needs. The collaboratory also supports three working groups: Training, Research, and Implementation.
Activities:.
- Convening Events: CDP convenes military youth colleagues to provide opportunities for organizations (academic institutions, military service organizations, non-profit entities, and leaders from within the DoD and DHA) to discuss key issues and potential solutions for addressing the needs of military youth and families. These events include a focus on the unique factors which impact the provision of services and support, resources, and programs to youth and families in a military context. For more information, please contact julie.williams.ctr@usuhs.edu.
- Conferences: The CDP hosts a conference entitled, “Bridging the Gap: Behavioral Health Innovations Supporting Military Youth & Families.” This conference emphasizes the application of research to developing innovative approaches to increasing provider knowledge and enhancing direct care and support to military youth and families through application of telehealth technologies. For more information, please contact julie.williams.ctr@usuhs.edu.
- Working Groups: CDP, along with partner representatives, facilitate ongoing, collaborative efforts across collaborating organizations via three working groups focused on research, implementation, and training. These working groups carry forward key strategies identified by project partners and collaborators, to ensure solutions are carried through. For more information, please contact julie.williams.ctr@usuhs.edu.
- Stakeholder Engagement Group (SEG): Supported by the Department of Pediatrics at USU, the SEG is a group of 12 military connected parents and family members of military youth with mental health, emotional, behavioral, and/or developmental (MEBD) health care needs. This group meets virtually monthly and provides insight into the daily successes and challenges that families with youth with MEBD needs encounter in accessing care within the MHS. For more information, please contact colleen.runnion.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.