Implementation Science and the Peer-Led Mental Health Support Network: A Literature Review
Overview
This literature review examines the application of implementation science frameworks to develop a Peer-Led Mental Health Support Network in an urban hospital setting. The paper synthesizes evidence on evidence-based practices adoption, implementation science methodologies, and peer support effectiveness while proposing six key implementation elements to address the persistent gap between clinical innovation and real-world practice deployment.
What this literature review covers
- Introduction establishing the 17-20 year gap between research and clinical practice adoption
- Literature Review covering implementation science definitions, frameworks (ERIC, CFIR, subway schematic), and peer support effectiveness evidence
- Six Implementation Elements including topic definition, innovation steps, leadership sponsorship, resource identification, support planning, and assessment strategies
Preview
Implementation Science and the Peer-Led Mental Health Support Network:
A Literature Review
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Table of Contents
Defined Topic and Problem Definition 4
Implementation Steps and Innovation 4
Introduction
Translating evidence-based practices (EBPs) into routine clinical care remains one of healthcare’s most persistent challenges. Research demonstrates it takes 17 to 20 years for clinical innovations to reach widespread practice, a gap defined as the distance between knowing what works and deploying it in real-world settings (Bauer & Kirchner, 2020; Smith et al., 2020). Mental health care is especially vulnerable, where stigma and workforce resistance compound adoption barriers. Peer support programs, led by individuals with lived mental health experience, offer measurable benefits including reduced readmissions and improved patient engagement, yet remain inconsistently implemented in acute hospital settings (Gillard et al., 2024). This paper applies implementation science to the development of a Peer-Led Mental Health Support Network in an urban hospital through six implementation elements.
Literature Review
Implementation science is defined as the scientific study of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings into routine practice (Bauer & Kirchner, 2020). Morrato (2018) further described it as a multidisciplinary field operating across individual, organizational, and community levels. Kirchner et al. (2020) articulated its core aims: developing effective implementation strategies, producing generalizable knowledge about barriers and facilitators, and refining the frameworks that advance the discipline.
Lane-Fall et al.