The Adaptation of a Postpartum Depression Prevention Evidence-Based Intervention in Family Homeless Shelters

Evidence-based interventions (EBIs) are considered the gold standard but it is unclear if they are effective across settings. Reach Out and Stay Strong, Essentials for new Mothers (ROSE) has been shown to prevent postpartum depression in clinical settings, but has not been implemented or tested in homeless populations. We used the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation and Sustainment (EPIS) model overlaid with the Dynamic Adaptation Process (DAP) to adapt ROSE for implementation in a homeless shelter system in a large U.S. city, using feedback from both the organization and community. The adapted intervention was called Strong in Shelter (SIS). In this paper, we present 4 DAPS (April, 2018- December, 2020); the EPIS stages within each DAP are described. The Exploration Stage is centered around early and ongoing engagement with shelter providers and residents. The Preparation Stage includes adaptations based on learnings from the Exploration and the Implementation Stages from previous DAPs. The Implementation Stage highlights what we learned from implementation and both quantitative and qualitative feedback from shelter staff and residents. Following the DAP cycles, we created scalable plans in the Sustainment Stage. Thematic analysis was used to identify, analyze and report patterns within qualitative data, and descriptive analyses were conducted with quantitative data. Participant engagement and satisfaction were high and facilitators reported implementing SIS with fidelity to ROSE’s core components. By engaging staff and the participants early and continually, and utilizing an iterative and flexible adaptation process, EBIs such as ROSE can be adapted and implemented with fidelity in new settings.