Creating an EBP Framework on a Journey to Becoming an EBP Agency: Pioneers in the Field of Children's Mental Health

Abstract

Agencies servicing children, youth, and families have been particularly pressured to demonstrate service effectiveness and accountability by government funders. The human service fields have not fully embraced research evidence into the organizational culture creating a challenge of introducing research evidence into agencies. Gaps in knowledge have been identified when agencies attempt to travel down the path of introducing evidence-based practice into organizational culture. The paradigm shift of introducing research into practice was the journey taken by one mid-sized agency in southwestern Ontario, Canada. A framework for assessing evidence-based practice programs in services was created as part of their journey.

Keywords:

• Evidence-based practice
• evidence-informed practice
• evidence-based programs
• frameworks

Notes

The authors would like to acknowledge the editing consultation of Connie L. Kvarfordt, University of Windsor, School of Social Work. This work was presented at the 26th Annual Children's Mental Health Research and Policy Conference, 2013, Tampa, Florida, USA.