Family Connections: Using Collaborative Partnerships to Support Dissemination

Area of Science:

• Child welfare research
• Evidence-based practice dissemination
• Collaborative partnerships

Background:

• Spreading evidence-informed practice in child welfare faces significant challenges.
• Active dissemination strategies are crucial but complex to implement.
• Previous research in medicine and child welfare (e.g., Breakthrough Series Collaboratives) shows promise for collaborative models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate how collaborative partnerships can enhance the dissemination of evidence-based practice in child welfare.
• To examine the potential of interagency collaborative teams for scaling up practices.
• To use a case study (Family Connections) to demonstrate the application of collaborative partnerships.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on collaborative partnerships in evidence dissemination.
• Analysis of existing collaborative models in medicine and child welfare.
• Case study examination of the Family Connections program.

Main Results:

• Collaborative partnerships offer a viable strategy for overcoming child welfare evidence dissemination challenges.
• Interagency teams show potential for accelerating the scale-up of evidence-informed practices.
• The Family Connections program serves as a model for effective collaborative dissemination.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative partnerships are essential for the effective spread and sustainability of evidence-informed practices in child welfare.
• Interagency collaboration can significantly improve the reach and impact of evidence-based interventions.
• The Family Connections case study highlights the practical benefits of this approach for child maltreatment prevention.