This book is about conducting research on the process and outcomes of the translation and implementation of evidence-based practices in social work. Its aims are to outline a strategy for conducting such research and to identify the infrastructure and resources necessary to support such research within the field of social work. Using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Roadmap as a guide, the book describes the challenges of investigating the process and outcomes of efforts to translate and implement evidence-based social work practice. It begins with a general introduction to the topic of ... More

This book is about conducting research on the process and outcomes of the translation and implementation of evidence-based practices in social work. Its aims are to outline a strategy for conducting such research and to identify the infrastructure and resources necessary to support such research within the field of social work. Using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Roadmap as a guide, the book describes the challenges of investigating the process and outcomes of efforts to translate and implement evidence-based social work practice. It begins with a general introduction to the topic of translation and implementation of evidence-based practice and its importance to the field of social work. It then moves to an examination of the methods for studying the effectiveness, dissemination, and implementation of evidence-based practices and the organizational context in which these activities occur in social work practice. It also describes the use of mixed-methods designs and community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods to address these challenges. It is unique in that it provides case studies of research on the translation and implementation in social work practice, identifies potential barriers to conducting such research, and offers recommendations and guidelines for addressing these barriers. The proposed strategy is founded on the principle and practice of cultural exchange between members of social worker–led interdisciplinary research teams and between researchers and practitioners. The outcome of such exchanges is the transformation of social work research and practice through the linkage between translational research and research translation.