The significant lag in implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) into usual care, or the “research-to-practice gap,” is a pressing problem in public mental health systems. One large contributor to this gap is the absence of implementation tools that can be feasibly used within resource-limited contexts. This dissertation examines pragmatic tools to improve implementation of EBPs for youth in Philadelphia. Despite a longstanding city-sponsored initiative to implement EBPs, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), significant barriers have hindered implementation, including low client attendance and poor clinician treatment adherence (the extent to which clinicians implement an intervention as intended). Chapter 1 uses mixed-methods to examine clinician perceptions of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, when telehealth quickly became the norm. Clinicians rated telehealth positively as a short-term solution though did not prefer it to in-person sessions. Findings suggest that telehealth is a better fit for some clients than others; it may exacerbate digital disparities for certain clients. Chapters 2 and 3 focus on alternate measurement methods. Direct observation, often used as a proxy for what occurs within a therapy session, is infeasible in most settings. Chapter 2 examines accuracy of three pragmatic methods in capturing use of 12 CBT interventions. Results suggest that for most interventions, both behavioral rehearsal (simulated roleplays) and chart-stimulated recall (semi-structured interviews with the chart available) are accurate, while self-report is not. Given the convenience of self-report, Chapter 3 investigates whether there are alternate ways to accurately use self-report data, such as in identifying predictors of CBT use. We identified four candidate predictors and tested alignment between predictors of CBT use when measured by self-report versus direct observation. Results did not indicate alignment, suggesting further limitations of self-report. Collectively, these findings advance understanding of pragmatic tools to overcome implementation barriers in resource-limited setting and improve youth mental health. Results suggest potential for telehealth and two alternate measurement methods. There is likely no one-size-fits-all pragmatic solution; telehealth may be appropriate for some individuals, and alternate measurement methods may accurately measure only some CBT interventions.