Developing an Empirically Based Pra

Developing an Empirically Based Practice Initiative documents practice techniques that were used during a three-year training/demonstration project for child welfare supervisors working in the frontlines of child protection services in the Southeastern United States. This unique book is a guide to combining research methodology with staff training to enhance the quality of evidence-based practice in the field. The book examines techniques that were used in training modules in four states, highlighting practice models and intervention outcomes from an evidence-based perspective.Developing an Empirically Based Practice Initiative includes details about the project from the federal perspective (The Children’s Bureau) and the operational implications at the Southern Regional Quality Improvement Center (SRQIC) level. The book examines the issues of providing technical research assistance to child welfare agencies and the complexities of cross-site evaluation with different political jurisdictions. Developing an Empirically Based Practice Initiative examines:

The Children’s Bureau discretionary grant program
the relationship between child welfare workers’ career plans and their abilities to accomplish core work tasks
secondary traumatic stress (STS) in child protective services workers
methods for monitoring and evaluating child welfare supervisors
clinical decision-making as a tool for building effective supervision skills
the use of outcome data for decision-making
the development and implementation of the Tennessee project
the use of “360-degree” evaluations to improve clinical skill development
the Intervention Design and Development modelDeveloping an Empirically Based Practice Initiative is an invaluable aid for social work practitioners, child welfare workers, case managers, and supervisors, and for social work academics and students.

Jenny Jones, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee in Nashville. Her research focuses on child welfare policy, supervision, organizational culture, and intervention. Dr. Jones has authored or co-authored several articles and book chapters, and has presented her research nationally and internationally. Prior to receiving her PhD, she spent more than a decade working in the field of child welfare as a direct practitioner, administrator, and consultant.
Paul Sundet, PhD, is Professor Emeritus in the School of Social Work at the University of Missouri in Columbia. His research focuses on human service administration and management, rural human services, and community mental health; his practice background includes child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health. He acts as a consultant to numerous state agencies and legislatures on issues of human service policy and programs.

Foreword. Introduction. Children’s Bureau Discretionary Grants: Knowledge Development Through Our Research and Demonstration Projects. Administering Research and Demonstration Projects Aimed at Promoting Evidence-Based Practice in Child Welfare: Challenges and Rewards. Linking Self-Efficacy Beliefs to Employee Retention in Child Welfare: Implications for Practice, Theory, and Research. Correlates of Secondary Traumatic Stress in Child Protective Services Workers. Numbers Alone Do Not Tell the Whole Story: A Program Evaluation Designed to Generate Evidence-Based Knowledge and Practice in Child Welfare Supervision. The Role of Supervisors in Developing Clinical Decision-Making Skills in Child Protective Services (CPS). Systematic Case Review Data and Child Protective Services Outcomes: The Development of a Model in Mississippi. Longitudinal Research Design and the Realities of Changing Practice Environments: The Difficulty in Testing Models for Evidence Based Practice—A Case Study. Using 360 Degree Evaluation to Improve Clinical Skill Development by First Line Child Protective Services Supervisors. Agency-Academic Collaboration in Evidence-Based Practice: A Case Example in Data Driven Innovation. Index. References.