Click here for The Journey to Evidence-Based Programming Presentation by Lisa Williams-Taylor, Ph.D.

Keynote Presentations

Now that is Smart Government (Thurs., February 26)

The Case for Evidence-Based Programs

An Evidence-Based Investment Strategy: The Washington State Approach

Evidence Based Programs: The Policy Challenges

Increasing Government Effectiveness through Rigorous Evidence about “What Works”

Taking Home a Mandate for Change 

Breakout Session Presentations

Session 1

1.1 Planning, Implementing and Improving Evidence-Based Programs

1.2 Systemic Organizational Impacts on Evidence-Based Programming

1.3 A Community’s Approach to Evidence-Based Programming

1.4 Process Evaluation for Your Program:  Why to do it and How?

1.5 Making Sense of Evidence-Based Programs in Early Education and Intervention

1.6 Teen Pregnancy: Where Do We Go From Here?

Session 2

2.1 Evidence-Based Practice: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Programs

2.2 Readiness and Fidelity: Keys to Getting Expected Results

2.3 Moving from Evidence-based Programs to Community-Level Impact

2.4 How Outcome Evaluations Impact Levels of Evidence

2.5 Research to Practice

2.6 Mentoring: Best Practices, Better Kids

Session 3

3.1 Estimating the Costs and Benefits of Social Programs

3.2 Planning for Long-Term Sustainability of Evidence-Based Programs

3.3 Strategies for Upgrading to Evidence-Based Violence Prevention Programs

3.4 Locally Developed Programs: How Do They Fit?

3.5 Funding and Legislation: Evidence-Based Programs and Policy

3.6 Youth Development: Making it Work

Jim Mayer (bio)

Over the last decade, a growing number of practitioners and policymakers have seen the potential for better strategies to make renewed progress against age-old scourges – persistent poverty, rampant drug abuse, heartbreaking violence. These hopeful strategies rely on data and discipline, on maturing evidence and new politics. But is it possible to make these groundbreaking strategies the “rule” rather than the “exception”? Can we govern our way to smarter government?    

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Del Elliot (bio)

The Case for Evidence-Based Prevention Programs |
Click here for Powerpoint
Del Elliott, Ph.D.

While there is a general call for adopting evidence-based programs and practices to reduce youth violence, drug use and other forms of antisocial behavior, these programs and practices are not widely implemented in American schools and communities. The term ‘evidence based’ is first defined and then the demonstrated benefits of implementing these programs are reviewed. Obstacles to the adoption and successful implementation of these programs are discussed and strategies for overcoming these obstacles and upgrading current programs to evidence-based programs are suggested.

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Steve Aos (bio)

An Evidence-Based Investment Strategy: The Washington State
Approach | Click here for Powerpoint
Steve Aos

This presentation will focus on the State of Washington’s effort to identify and implement evidence-based and cost-beneficial policy options that improve a wide array of public policy outcomes. It will include a discussion of the systematic process this state has used to identify options that work and those that do not, and how economics were applied to further identify those policies and programs that achieve the highest rate of return to the taxpayer.

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Sid Gardner (bio)

How can policy leaders and innovative funders overcome resistance to implementing policy that redirects resources toward evidence-based programs? How can evidence-based programs leverage larger funding streams that move beyond grant-based funding? How can innovative Evidence-Based Programs be replicated and institutionalized at the level of system-wide policy?
 

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Jon Baron (bio)

Requirements for rigorous evaluation and the use of evidence-based programs now appear in Congressional legislation, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance, and federal and state grant solicitations in many diverse areas of policy. The nonprofit, nonpartisan Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy has played a leadership role in advancing such reforms through its work with top Congressional and federal agency policymakers. Coalition President Jon Baron will discuss recent developments in evidence-based reform, and their potential to help spark rapid progress in social policy similar to that which has transformed medicine.

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Alan Brown (bio)

Dr. Brown will synthesize the key messages from the conference and will issue a series of compelling reasons that constitute a mandate for leadership in the adoption of evidence-based programs and policy.
  

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1.1 Planning, Implementing and Improving Evidence-Based Programs
Mary Terzian, Ph.D., MSW (bio) | Click here for Powerpoint

The session will take audience members through a step-by-step process, using a logic model as a guide, which will ultimately result in the development of knowledge and skills related to: (a) understanding the value of evidence-based programs; (b) constructing logic models; (c) evaluation strategies; and (d) understanding how to use outputs and outcomes to inform program improvement.

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1.2 Systemic Organizational Impacts on Evidence-Based Programming | 
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Alan Brown

This session will review the What Works Repository, a multi-agency project at the federal level, including members from the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the Institute of Education Sciences, the Office of Justice Programs, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

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1.3 A Community’s Approach to Evidence-Based Programming
Click here for Ebbole's Powerpoint | Click here for Claud's Powerpoint
Panel Discussion: Tana Ebbole (bio); Cathy Claud; Margaret Kallman

Evidence-based programs may look good on paper, but can they work in real life? Hear from a panel on what it takes to put evidence-based programs and services into practice and make them work.

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1.4 Process Evaluation for Your Program:  Why to do it and How? | Click here for Powerpoint
Susan Philliber, Ph.D. (bio)

What is fidelity and why is it important? How do we know if a science-based program has really been implemented as designed? Sometimes people are not implementing with fidelity because they lack resources or do not understand what can be safely changed in a program and what cannot. Others fail to implement programs faithfully for convenience reasons or because they believe modifications are necessary for their communities. This workshop will discuss guidelines for implementation with fidelity and how to use a process evaluation to monitor success.

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1.5 Making Sense of Evidence-Based Programs in Early Education and Intervention
Click here for Powerpoint
Virginia Buysse, Ph.D. (bio) & Patricia Wesley, Ph.D.

This session highlights selected proven practices for enhancing the learning and development of young children with and without disabilities. Participants also will consider how to address the dilemma facing professionals and families when the research evidence is not sufficient to guide their practices.

After declining for 14 years, the teen birth rate has begun to rise in most states. This suggests a need for more effective and/or targeted approaches. This workshop will identify programs and strategies that do and do not work to reduce the risk of teen pregnancy. Ways to incorporate evidence-based programs and practices will be discussed.

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This workshop will focus on a discussion of evidence-based programs and practices, how they are determined to be evidence-based and the sources for identifying those with successful outcomes for substance abuse and mental health programs. This will include the information available through each review and rating system, as well as highlighting some of the programs considered most successful.

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2.2 Readiness and Fidelity: Keys to Getting Expected Results | Click here for Powerpoint
Gail Chadwick, M.C. (bio) 

Some important ingredients for implementation of evidence-based work are often overlooked both in research and in practice. The process needs to include an examination of both the readiness of the agency to implement that program with fidelity and the preparedness of the program to “go to scale” and achieve real world implementation.

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2.3 Moving from Evidence-based Programs to Community-Level Impact
Click here for Powerpoint
Brian Bumbarger (bio)

This session will describe key lessons learned from over 10 years of promoting and supporting evidence-based prevention in Pennsylvania. Brian Bumbarger, director of Pennsylvania’s Evidence-Based Prevention and Intervention Support Center, will discuss key issues relating to dissemination, the use of community coalitions and data-driven needs assessment, training and technical assistance, ensuring fidelity and high-quality implementation, and measuring and communicating program impacts at the community level.

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2.4 How Outcome Evaluations Impact Levels of Evidence | Click here for powerpoint
Deborah Gorman-Smith, Ph.D.

This session will discuss the importance of outcome evaluations, how rigorous evaluations impact levels of evidence, and the steps to doing these rigorous evaluations in real-world school and community settings.

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2.5 Research to Practice | Click here for Petersen's Powerpoint 
Click here for Kanter's Powerpoint | Link to Olweus.org
Panel: Donna Petersen, MHS, ScD (bio); Theresa Kanter, BS, RN (bio); and
Kim Mazauskas (bio)

If you want to learn about bringing evidence-based programs from research to practice – this session is for you. You will hear about what it takes to bring a program to full-scale, some of the challenges you will face when implementing programs in your community, and how to work through those barriers.

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 This session includes a discussion of the history, trends, and future of best practices in mentoring. There will also be a discussion of the top evidence-based mentoring programs being implemented across the country today.

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Some of the steps required to conduct an analysis of the cost and benefits of social programs are the focus of this session. Examples will be given to illustrate the calculations and the Washington State Institute for Public Policy’s model will be run in “real time” to help explain the concepts.

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This session, presented by Penn State University’s Evidence-Based Prevention and Intervention Support Center, will discuss how organizations and prevention coalitions can plan for and achieve long-term sustainability of evidence-based programs. Topics will include identifying and connecting with potential funders and stakeholders, stakeholder mapping, public relations and communicating program impact, and developing and implementing a sustainability plan.

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3.3 Strategies for Upgrading to Evidence-Based Violence Prevention Programs
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Del Elliott, Ph.D. (bio)

The focus of this workshop is on strategies for upgrading a state, community or school’s portfolio of violence, substance use, or delinquency prevention programs with more effective, cost-efficient, evidence-based programs. Typical barriers to adopting and implementing evidence-based programs and possible strategies for overcoming these barriers are identified. The potential benefits of upgrading programs are also discussed.

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The current nationwide emphasis on funding programs with proven results causes some concern among program practitioners regarding the status of locally developed programs that perhaps have not had the opportunity to undergo higher level evaluation. The focus of this session will be a pilot assessment project of Children’s Services Council to examine the components of existing programs to determine where they fell on the evidence-based continuum.

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3.5 Funding and Legislation: Evidence-Based Programs and Policy
Click here for Powerpoint
Panel: Randy Palo (bio), Tanisha Hudson (bio) and Karen Deringer (bio)

Evidence-based language is permeating federal legislation and policy as well as the funding of health and human service programs. Find out about key federal
legislation and how it may impact state and local programs and decision-making. This session will also identify government and foundation funders who advocate for evidence-based programs and will discuss the implications for acquiring grants.

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Policy makers and funding agencies are increasingly demanding the use of evidence-based programs and practices in youth development. This workshop will share information about programs and practices that have been found to work and not work to enhance outcomes for children and youth. Ways program providers can meet expectations for implementing evidence-based programs and practices will also be discussed.

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