Preliminary effectiveness of the ACT SMART implementation toolkit: facilitating evidence-based practice implementation in community-based autism organizations

Abstract

Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) use is varied in autism spectrum disorder community-based organizations (ASD-CBOs) in the United States. Aim: The ACT SMART Implementation Toolkit—a multi-faceted implementation strategy guiding teams through implementation phases—was pilot tested to assess its preliminary effectiveness in increasing EBP use within ASD-CBOs. Method: Six ASD-CBOs participated, and five completed all Toolkit phases. Supervisors and direct providers completed an agency assessment pre- and post-pilot reporting their use of the selected EBP. Results: Effect sizes, examining meaningful changes in reported EBP utilization from pre- to post-pilot, found small effect sizes for supervisor-reported, supervisor-report of direct provider’s use, and for direct provider-reported EBP use. Conclusions: Results indicate an increase in reported EBP use post-pilot and signal potential effectiveness of the ACT SMART Toolkit to yield provider-reported behavioral changes. This is the first multi-faceted implementation strategy designed specifically for ASD-CBOs, and findings support its facilitation of EBP uptake to improve community care for autistic individuals.