Implementing Evidence Based and Evidence Informed Practices

(3 Credits)

This course will examine how evidence-based and evidence-informed practices are determined, give an overview of key evidence-based and evidence-informed practices, and consider their impact on clinical social work practice. Within the context of a growing emphasis on accountability and effectiveness in the behavioral health services, the course will explore the assumptions and values of evidence-based practice and how research is utilized to inform direct practice. The course also will examine the implementation of evidence-based and evidence-informed practices in real life settings examining the role of organizational climate, workforce competencies, policies and procedures, financing and community factors. Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods and participatory research will be presented to demonstrate how these methods can inform different aspects of implementation. The course will use different implementation examples from behavioral health services to discuss issues of tailoring and fidelity in practice settings. Recent developments in implementation science and current health care policies will also be considered to understand the broader context for the implementation of evidence-based and evidence-informed practices.