Social Service Organizations in the Era of Evidence-Based Practice

Abstract

• Summary: Evidence-based practice (EBP) has been gaining acceptance and momentum in the social services professions. As evidence related to specific programs and interventions mount, social service practitioners and organizations around the world have increasingly begun to implement evidence-based programs as a strategy for creating better outcomes for children, families, and adults. Unfortunately, the science of evaluating efficacious and effective programs and interventions has far outpaced the science of implementing them. A gap exists between what we know works and being able to utilize what works in practice. This article will examine the challenges facing social service organizations in implementing evidence-based programs and explore an organizational theory to address those challenges. • Findings: The implementation of EBPs has proven to be a complex and challenging process, with organizational factors coming to the forefront as important in bridging the gap between science and service. The complexity of translating what we know from research into practice requires an organizing theory to help guide implementation efforts in the context of an organization. • Applications : This article proposes the use of a theoretical framework, the learning organization, by social service organizations. By transforming social service organizations into learning organizations, social service organizations will be able to more effectively meet the challenges of implementing evidence-based programs and function as a bridge, rather than a barrier, between science and service.