By all measures, America’s mental health system is stretched too thin. Families are in crisis, community mental health providers are overworked, and groundbreaking research often struggles to find its way into real-world practice. But thanks to researchers such as Professor Ukamaka Oruche of the University of South Florida, and colleagues, we’re learning how to map and close that gap, one challenge at a time. When we think of medical breakthroughs or scientific discoveries, we often imagine white coats, high-tech labs, and swift translation from theory to practice. But in the world of mental health, particularly in community settings that serve the most vulnerable, reality looks very different. Shockingly, it can take 17 to 20 years for evidence-based mental health interventions to become part of everyday clinical care.