First Approach Skills Training (FAST) Program

First Approach Skills Training (FAST) programs are designed to provide brief, evidence-based behavioral therapy for youth and families with common mental health concerns, in settings such as primary care clinics or schools where longer-term treatment is not typically provided.

FAST Resources for Mental Health Clinicians

Program materials, as well as engagement and assessment tools for Mental Health Clinicians, are provided below.

FAST Programs

For each FAST program, there is a two-page "Snapshot" educational handout that can be given out as a first step in care, prior to referral for the clinician-guided intervention. Click a focus area below to access its program materials or browse all programs.

Anxiety

FAST- A - Exposure-based treatment for anxiety in a brief, easy to use, workbook-guided format.

Child Behavior Problems

FAST B - Evidence-based parent/caregiver coaching to address behavior problems in children ages 4–11.

Depression

FAST- D - Evidence-based behavioral activation skills for teens and their caregivers.

Parenting Teens

FAST-P - Adapted from evidence-based parent behavior management training and emotion coaching programs.

Trauma

FAST-T - A brief intervention covering core components of longer, evidence-based treatments for child and adolescent post-traumatic stress.

Early Childhood

FAST- E - Supports caregivers of children 1-4 yrs to promote child development, strengthen positive connection, & manage challenging behavior.

FAST Patient Engagement Tools

FAST Top Problems Tool: Information gathering, goal setting, and engagement tool ideal for a first session
Learning About You: Race, Culture & Identity

FAST Assessment Tools

Below are links to the free measures we recommend for initial screening, treatment planning and progress monitoring. These were selected based on their efficiency and utility for primary care settings. We recommend you assess all four domains using the “core” measures at your baseline assessment to inform FAST programming decisions.

Core measures

Trauma impact
- Child Trauma Screen (CTS) (follow link for self-report 7+ and caregiver-report 6+ in English and Spanish)
- For younger children, the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) (English) (Spanish)
Disruptive behavior
- PSC externalizing subscale ages 4–17 (English) (Spanish)
Anxiety
- PROMIS youth-report (ages 8–17) (English) (Spanish)
- PROMIS caregiver-report (ages 5–17) (English) (Spanish)
Depression (ages 11+)
- PHQ9 teen self-report (English) (Spanish) (Other Languages)
- SMFQ caregiver-report (English)
- Optional: SMFQ child/tween self-report (English)

Early Childhood
- Preschool Pediatric Symptoms Checklist: PSC.Preschool.pdf (ahpnetwork.com)
- PROMIS Early Childhood Measures (engagement, self-regulation, physical activity, anger-irritability, anxiety/fear, sleep problems, positive affect/depression, social relationships) – English & Spanish
Adolescent Behavior (caregiver report)
- Pediatric Symptoms Checklist -17 items (English) (Spanish)
- Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (English) (Spanish) (Other languages)

Additional measures

Alcohol/substance use: CAGE AID
Attention deficit/hyperactivity problems: Vanderbilt

FAST Program Team

Co-directors of FAST programming are Drs. Nat Jungbluth and Erin Gonzalez.

FAST research director is Dr. Jennifer Blossom.

FAST post-doctoral fellow is China Bolden.

Program materials were developed by child and adolescent psychologists Drs. Nat Jungbluth, Erin Gonzalez, Kendra Read, Jennifer Blossom, Jessica Jenness, Maggie Sibley, Cindy Ola, Courtney Zulauf-McCurdy and Lucia Cicciola, with funding support from the Washington State Healthcare Authority.

Ongoing case consultation support calls are hosted by Drs. Jungbluth, Gonzalez and Blossom.

Meet the Washington State FAST Stakeholder Advisory Committee

We are incredibly fortunate to benefit from the expert guidance and ongoing collaboration of the following behavioral health providers across Washington state:

Patricia “Trish” Beagle, LSWAIC
Integrated Behavioral Health Specialist
Skagit Pediatrics, Mount Vernon

Jennifer Bloom, MA, LMHCA, NCCC
Behavioral Healthcare Manager
HopeSparks Family Services, Tacoma

Kathryn Boelk, MSW, LICSWA
Behavioral Healthcare Manager
HopeSparks Family Services, Tacoma

Zoe Cedarholm, MSW, MHP, LICSWA
Behavioral Healthcare Manager
HopeSparks Family Services, Tacoma

Jacob Cowan, MSW, LICSW
Pediatric Healthcare Integration Clinical Supervisor
HopeSparks Family Services, Tacoma

Leslie Graham, MSW, LICSW
Integrated Behavioral Health Provider
UW Neighborhood Kent-Des Moines Clinic

Anne Koomen, ARNP, MS
Integrated Behavioral Health Director of Program Development
Jefferson Healthcare Primary Care, Port Townsend

Grace Lee, MSW, LICSW
Integrated Behavioral Health Provider
UWMC Pediatric Care Center

Peter Loft, MSW, LICSW
Clinical Social Worker
General Internal Medicine Clinic | UW Medicine

Wendy Pringle, LMHC
Senior Director of Pediatric Healthcare Integration
HopeSparks Family Services, Tacoma

Adilenne Reveles, SWAIC
Behavioral Healthcare Manager
HopeSparks Family Services, Tacoma

Violet Rush, MSW, LCSWA
Behavioral Healthcare Manager
HopeSparks Family Services, Tacoma

Lai Wan Scheibe, LMHC, MHP
Integrated Care Therapist
South Sound Pediatrics, Olympia

Kara Smith, LSWAIC
Integrated Behavioral Health Specialist
Skagit Pediatrics, Mount Vernon

Kristina Taylor, MS, LMFT
Collaborative Care Program Clinical Lead
Optum Washington, Mukilteo

Rose Welser, MSW
Integrated Behavioral Health Provider
Walla Walla Clinic, Walla Walla

Mary Ann Woodruff, MD, FAAP
Pediatrician Lead for Care Transformation
Pediatrics Northwest, Tacoma