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Understanding, Promoting, and Sustaining the Use of Research and Evidence-Based Practices by State Administering Agencies

These toolkits comprise "a series on promoting the use of evidence-based practices in State Administering Agencies (SAAs) [in understanding and implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) in their states]. These toolkits include a briefing paper, an executive summary, and a slideshow. The slideshows can be tailored by SAAs to highlight their own efforts in promoting evidence-based practices in their state. Additional toolkits are currently being developed based on feedback from SAA directors". Toolkit 1-An Introduction to Evidence-Based Practices: a brief history of the evidence-based "movement"; where the evidence comes from; resources for identifying EBPs; implementing EBPs; what to do if there is no evidence; and summary. "With diminishing resources available for funding criminal justice issues, understanding how to identify and implement EBPs will be critical for decisionmakers in all areas of the justice system" (p. 15). Toolkit 2-Implementing Evidence-Based Practices: introduction; how evidence-based programs are identified; the defining characteristics of a program; implementation fidelity; achieving implementation fidelity; implementation science; what can be done to support high-quality implementation; measuring implementation fidelity; moderators of implementation fidelity; core program components and program adaptation; and summary. "Given the importance of implementation fidelity, adaptation is likely to be advantageous only when it is guided by scientific evidence, pursued with caution, and monitored to prevent potentially harmful effects" (p. 16).

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