Serving All Children: An Implementation Model Framework

Abstract

Recent changes in federal policy and the proliferation of empirically based interventions (EBIs) designed to prevent problems and promote student academic and behavioral success have created an unprecedented opportunity for schools to expand their use of comprehensive strategies to meet the academic and behavioral health needs of all students. The articles in this timely and important special series suggest that achieving this outcome will be possible only if there is significant systemic reform in educational settings. The authors argue that necessary systemic reforms include establishing a public health approach to education, expanding consumers' knowledge regarding the availability and selection of EBIs, revising the roles of professionals working in educational settings, creating the infrastructure necessary to implement and sustain EBIs, and using data to drive decision making. We agree with the basic premise that organizational factors must be addressed to facilitate the adoption and sustainability of EBIs in schools. We also support the public health model with its foci on populations, rather than just individuals; prevention along with interventions; and increasing positive behaviors, rather than just decreasing negative ones (Strein, Hoagwood, & Cohn, 2003). In addition, we are proponents of a growing movement within education referred to as social and emotional learning (SEL). SEL represents an organizing framework for comprehensive school programs that is consistent with a public health approach to maximizing student academic achievement and mental health. Proponents of SEL endorse the use of EBIs to improve social, emotional, and behavioral skills in children and youth, prevent risky behaviors, and promote engagement in learning and achievement (e.g., Payton et al., 2000). They also use data-based decision making and a focus on behavioral outcomes as exemplified in a recent comprehensive review of school-based SEL programs, Safe and Sound: An Educational Leader's Guide to Evidence-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, 2005). We would argue that there are three phases associated with expanding the use of EBIs in schools. The first is the adoption phase, when a problem or opportunity for improvement has been identified and evidence-based strategies or programs are being considered. The second is implementation, which is the phase in which an innovation is conducted to prevent or ameliorate an existing problem, or improve specific skills and competencies. The final phase is sustainability, which is the time when an innovation is accepted as useful and there is a desire to maintain it. Systemic factors in educational settings influence all three of these phases and are therefore important to consider when promoting the widespread use of EBIs in school. Although the articles in this special series inform our knowledge about all three phases, we will primarily focus our comments on the implementation phase because we believe it is a critical phase for maximizing the positive effect of EBIs on student outcomes and it relates most closely to our own work. Adoption of an EBI is only beneficial to the extent to which it is implemented well. Sustainability of an EBI that is implemented poorly will not be cost-effective nor will it achieve positive outcomes for students. Merrell and Buchanan (2006) noted that there is a growing body of scientific knowledge regarding how to prevent and treat academic, emotional, and behavioral problems in childhood, and this information is being disseminated broadly. Although the research base identifying EBIs has grown tremendously in recent years, the science needed to promote the implementation of such interventions in real time, under naturally occurring conditions, is still in its infancy. Recently, we developed a conceptual model of implementation for school-based preventive interventions that is described in a report commissioned by the Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Green-berg, Domitrovich, Graczyk, & Zins, 2005). …