Implementing evidence-based practice: practitioner assessment of an agency-based training program

Area of Science:

• Social Work
• Implementation Science
• Professional Training

Background:

• Growing demand for evidence-based practice (EBP) in social work.
• Need for effective training strategies to support EBP implementation in social agencies.
• Exploration of collaborative agency-university partnerships for professional development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the acceptability of a training-based collaborative agency-university partnership strategy for supporting EBP.
• To evaluate practitioner perceptions of the 10-module BEST training program.
• To understand trainer experiences during the implementation of the BEST training.

Main Methods:

• A multiphase exploratory study design.
• Development and delivery of a 10-module agency training component (BEST).
• Qualitative analysis of post-training focus group data from practitioners and trainers.

Main Results:

• The BEST training program was generally found acceptable by agency team members.
• Practitioner perceptions of the training modules were largely positive.
• Trainer experiences indicated challenges in implementation, suggesting the training alone was insufficient.

Conclusions:

• The BEST training strategy shows promise for introducing EBP concepts in social work agencies.
• While acceptable, the BEST training requires enhancement to ensure sustained EBP implementation.
• Further research is needed to identify components that foster long-term EBP use in social work practice.