Welcome! Leadership Symposium on Evidence-Based Practice Shaping the Next Generation of Evidence in Child Welfare January 28 th, 2008 San Diego, California

2 Building Evidence: The Research and Training Network Mission of the RTN:  To advance the development of sound public policy and promote program excellence for safe and stable families living in supportive communities through coordination of research, education, training, consultation and technical assistance.

3 Building Evidence: The Research and Training Network Goals of the RTN:  Ensure that research is conducted, disseminated widely and integrated into practice,  Identify practice-oriented research priorities at the county, regional, and statewide levels to assure that research is relevant to practice,  Coordinate prioritization of research topics in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of research,  Enhance the development of working relationships between university faculty and agency administrators.

Leadership Symposium on Evidence-Based Practice Shaping the Next Generation of Evidence in Child Welfare January 28 th, 2008 San Diego, California

5 Some Definitions: EBP “is the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and [client] values” Sackett, Straus, Richardson, Rosenberg & Haynes (2000). Evidence-Based Medicine: How to practice and teach EBM (2 nd ed.) “It is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decision about the care of individual [clients]” Sackett, et al. (1997)

6 Definitions, Cont. Practice that is informed and ‘mindful’ of:  Best available research evidence;  Best clinical experience;  Client values and preferences.

7 Two Aspects to Consider:  Building evidence  Applying the evidence that we have to practice

8 Building Evidence: Current Activities  Formulating and revising a statewide research agenda,  Using the statewide research agenda to guide CalSWEC’s research priorities,  Working with Regional Consortia to share and coordinate regional research.

9 Building Evidence: Future Activities  Ongoing Revision of the Statewide Research Agenda,  Additional research-based curriculum projects,  Use of the research agenda to guide student research projects,  Funding of literature analysis to address the research needs outlined in the agenda.

10 Applying/Translating Evidence  Regional activities to promote knowledge management and Research to Practice,  Summer Research Sessions to review funded research and translate into practice,  Integration of research into in-service training, including Common Core.

11 Unified Research Agenda Developed at EBP Symp. CWS Research Projects Chosen, Funded Initiate Research - Multiple Sites Findings from Research Gathered & Analyzed Findings Disseminated Via EBP Symp. Findings Integrated into University Education and In-Service Training Content Education & Training Intervention Occurs University/Counties Study Practice After E & T Intervention University/Counties Study Outcomes for Children/Families Further Study Identified Further study identified Evidence Based Practice

12 Some thoughts on EBP and Training  Many of our interventions that we hope will improve outcomes are basically training interventions  Logic model: Training staff = change in practice = improved outcomes

13 Some thoughts on EBP and Training  We often don’t know whether the trainees leave with knowledge and skills necessary to change their practice  We also don’t follow up to see what gets in the way of changes in their practice

14 Some thoughts on EBP and Training Some structural changes should be considered:  More vertical caseloads allow us to study casework interventions  At the very least, we need the capacity to link staff characteristics (like attendance at training) to our outcomes, so we know if our training interventions have accomplished anything

Link to the Child & Family Services Review Glenn Freitas Linda Hockman CDSS

16 Today’s Activity  Review the agenda  Review the CalSWEC research projects (linked to the agenda)  Structured discussion to revise the current agenda  Considerations (in your packet)

For more information about EBP and training: