Toward Creating Synergy Among Policy, Procedures, and Implementation of Evidence-Based Models in Child Welfare Systems: Two Case Examples

Abstract

Over the past four to five decades, multiple randomized controlled trials have verified that preventive interventions targeting key parenting skills can have far reaching effects on improving a diverse array of child outcomes. Further, these studies have shown that parenting skills can be taught; and they are malleable. Given these advances, prevention scientists are in a position to make solid empirically-based recommendations to public child service systems on using parent-mediated interventions to optimize positive outcomes for the children and families that they serve. Child welfare systems serve some of this country’s most vulnerable children and families, yet they have been slow (compared to juvenile justice and mental health systems) to adopt empirically-based interventions. This paper describes two child welfare initiated, policy-based case studies that have sought to scale-up research-based parenting skills into the routine services that caseworkers deliver to the families that they serve. In both case studies, the child welfare system leaders worked with evaluators and model developers to tailor policy, administrative, and fiscal system practices to institutionalize and sustain evidence-based practices into usual foster care services. Descriptions of the implementations, intervention models, and preliminary results are described.

For Whom Do Parenting Interventions to Prevent Adolescent Substance Use Work?

“…As parenting programs are scaled-up (Chamberlain, 2017; Haggerty, & Shapiro, 2013; Welsh, et al, 2016), providers need information to understand how different populations may respond to available interventions. This review summarizes the effectiveness of parent training programs in reducing substance use across gender, age/school grade, and race/ethnicity of youth participants.…”

Agency Leaders' Assessments of Feasibility and Desirability of Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Youth-Serving Organizations Using the Stages of Implementation Completion

“…Use of research evidence was found in an earlier study to be significantly associated with the final stage achieved, as measured by the SIC, of TFCO by county-level youth-serving systems in California and Ohio ( 30 ). Engagement with other stakeholders both within the agency and external to the agency suggests that implementation is a “trans-relational” phenomenon involving interactions with other agencies ( 31 , 32 , 33 ), researchers ( 34 , 35 ), and intermediaries ( 36 ).…”

Scaling up Evidence-Based Interventions in US Public Systems to Prevent Behavioral Health Problems: Challenges and Opportunities

“…They may also be better positioned to understand the context of public systems and propose policy or practice changes that enable public systems to adopt EBIs. For example, Chamberlain (2017) described how her purveyor organization worked with administrators of child welfare systems in New York and Tennessee to scale up two family-focused EBIs. The organization collaborated with the New York Administration for Children and Families (ACS) to have caseworkers implement the EBIs instead of referring parents to other organizations, which meant the purveyor also had to work with ACS to identify ways to reduce caseworkers’ workloads to accommodate this shift in responsibilities.…”