Kimberly Estep, MA

Director for Systems Design and Implementation Strategies and Assistant Extension Professor

Innovations Institute

Kimberly Estep is an assistant extension professor and director for systems design and implementation strategies at Innovations Institute, University of Connecticut School of Social Work. Her work focuses on supporting states, organizations, and providers in designing, implementing, and sustaining effective systems of care for children, youth, and families. Her areas of expertise include tiered care coordination, implementation science, wraparound, mobile response and stabilization services, and the establishment, implementation, and monitoring of care pathways.

Ms. Estep leads initiatives related to systems development and reform, health care transformation, workforce development, peer parent support, and dissemination and implementation approaches that strengthen evidence-based practices and improve the quality of existing services.

She partners with states to analyze current structures and care pathways, helping identify infrastructure needs related to policy, financing, workforce development, electronic health records, data collection and analysis, continuous quality improvement, and technology-integrated care. She has extensive experience in providing individualized training and technical assistance (TTA) and partners with family and youth leaders in designing and delivering TTA, as well as incorporating youth/family/consumer voice in policy and practice.

With extensive experience providing individualized training and technical assistance nationwide, Ms. Estep collaborates closely with family and youth leaders to design and deliver supports that center youth, family, and consumer voice in both policy and practice.

She has trained and presented across the country on dissemination and implementation, system of care reform, and tiered care coordination installation, providing large-scale statewide support to more than 20 states. This work includes identification of gaps in system design and practice leading to the development and adaptation of TTA workplans to include best practices for workforce development and increased cultural competencies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Ms. Estep earned an MA in clinical psychology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.