The Implementation of Evidence-Informed Practice into MSW Specialized Curriculum

A challenge to the social work profession in the 21st century is creating a workforce able to utilize scientific knowledge to inform practice; as social work researchers, we should lead this movement. Making this shift is difficult. It necessitates active involvement in curriculum design and intense team work from faculty at all levels. This roundtable will lead a dialogue about the need, process, and challenges of creating a work force comfortable using science as an integral part of clinical decision-making. We will share experiences from one school's efforts to implement an evidence informed practice model throughout the curriculum: our success, challenges, lessons learned, and future directions, and create an opportunity for others to share their own experiences in this difficult but rewarding journey

We addressed the need for creating evidence informed practitioners by implementing an evidence-based treatment decision-making model (Managing and Adapting Practice [MAP]) into clinical practice/behavior, research, and field courses. Faculty worked with staff at PracticeWise (MAP creators) to develop a contract and devise a training plan for department faculty. The contract included website access (with all its supporting materials) for all department students and faculty, and regular consultation with PracticeWise staff. A core group of faculty began implementation planning in April, 2016; the first faculty training was May, 2016, and teaching the new model began in Fall 2016. The challenges to this implementation process were immense as we worked to “sell” the process on all levels, get buy-in from administration, engage faculty who were not active researchers, those who were not enthusiastic about the model, and those reluctant to add “one more thing” to already packed course syllabi. In addition, we had to develop a process to train current and future faculty.

Our presenters are research active and field faculty, central to the process of development and implementation. Our first presenter will introduce how the faculty committed to the concept of educating social work practitioners who were scientifically focused, how we chose the model, got “buy-in” from administration to fund the program, and “sold” it to core faculty. Another will discuss the process of working with the developers to adapt the model and training materials to an educational rather than a practice setting. Others will present the process of integrating and teaching the material in the research, practice, and field courses with core faculty from each area. Another presenter will discuss her work to adapt the model to settings other than mental health settings for which MAP was designed (child welfare, schools) and to coordinate with MAP staff in these efforts. The team will engage with participants in discussing the continuing process of adapting the model as we move forward to ensure success.

Our goal is to stimulate discussion around the importance of educating evidence informed practitioners and to share with others our enthusiasm about helping to create a workforce ready for the 21st century as well as hearing from others about their success and challenges.