State Department and Provider Agency Utilization of Evidence-Based Program Registries in Behavioral Healthcare and Child Welfare

Abstract

Evidence-based program registries (EBPRs) are web-based compilations of behavioral healthcare programs/interventions that rely on research-based criteria to rate program efficacy or effectiveness for support of programmatic decision-making. The objective was to determine the extent to which behavioral health decision-makers access EBPRs and to understand whether and exactly how they use the information obtained from EPBRs. Single State Authorities (SSAs) and service provider agencies in the areas of behavioral health and child welfare were recruited nationally. Senior staff (n = 375) responsible for the selection and implementation of programs and/or policies were interviewed by telephone concerning their visits (if any) to 28 relevant EBPRs, the types of information they were seeking, whether they found it, and how they may have used that information to effect changes in their organizations. At least one EBPR was visited by 80% of the respondents, with a median of three different registers being visited. Most visitors (55%) found all the information they were seeking; those who did not desired more guidance or tools for individual program implementation or were unable to locate the program or practice that they were seeking. Most visitors (65%) related using the information obtained to make changes in their organizations, in particular to select, start or change a program, or to support the adoption or improvement of evidence-based clinical practices. EBPRs were shown to be important resources for dissemination of research-based program effectiveness data, leading to increased use of evidence-based practices in the field, but the study also identified needs for greater awareness of EBPRs generally and for more attention to implementation of specific recommended programs and practices.

Variations in Definitions of Evidence-Based Interventions for Behavioral Health in Eight Selected U.S. States

“…The variety of terms that have been associated with the concept of "evidence-based" include "research-based," "science-based," "best practice(s)," "empirically supported treatment," or "promising program or practice." Lee et al (2022) examines references to evidence-based behavioral health program registries in statutes and regulations of state agencies, and Magura et al (2022) examines state behavioral agency personnel's familiarity with behavioral health program registries. However, there is no study to date that examines the official definitions of terms related to the concept of "evidencebased" propagated by statutes and regulations that apply to state behavioral health agencies.…”

Discrepancies in Ratings of Behavioral Healthcare Interventions Among Evidence-Based Program Resources Websites

“…Definitions of what constitute an evidence-based intervention vary depending on who or what agency defines them. 3 , 10 , 11 Likewise, variations in the criteria used by EBPRs to construct those rating categories are examined in several studies. For example, the Pew-MacArthur Charitable Trusts (PEW) found that specific details about the way different EBPRs construct their rating categories make it difficult to compare the ratings given to the same interventions.…”