Aligning Research and Readiness: The Evidence-Based Practice System Calibration Process

• In Event: Advances in Evaluation Research Methods

Abstract

Over the past decade, evidence-based practices have become more prevalent in the justice system. However, the evidence-based practice trend that began at the program level of effectiveness has been steadily expanding to now include systems as evidence-based entities. With this trend, technical assistance tools and process have not kept up to help align system-level of use of evidence-based practices with the achievement of population-level and system-wide outcomes.
To address this gap, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) has developed the Evidence-Based Practice System Calibration Process (EBP-SCP). The EBP-SCP is a system-level calibration process that is designed to operate at a higher level of action across programs and agencies that serve individuals, with the key outcomes for change measured by participant/consumer outcomes, rather than individual program or agency capacity outcomes. This process allows the system to identify collaborative goals among system stakeholders, use population-level data to measure and prioritize problem severity, map the distribution of resources and assets, identify promising research-based solutions, and measure system readiness to implement these solutions. AIR has piloted the EBP-SCP in various systems and this session is designed to provide an overview of the EBP-SCP and lessons learned from its use to date.

Authors

• Jennifer Loeffler-Cobia, American Institutes for Research

• Patricia Campie, American Institutes for Research