Site-Level Evidence-Based Practice Accreditation: A Qualitative Exploration Using Institutional Theory.

Accreditation is gaining ground in human services as leaders find ways to demonstrate the quality and legitimacy of services. This study examined site-level accreditation for SafeCare®, an evidence-based practice designed to prevent and reduce child maltreatment. We leveraged two waves of qualitativ...

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Published in:Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance Vol. 47; no. 3; pp. 157 - 176
Main Authors: Lengnick Hall, Rebecca, Willging, Cathleen Elizabeth, Aarons, Gregory A., Reeder, Kendal
Format: Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: 2023
      vid: 47
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      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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        169847684
        10.1080/23303131.2023.2194940
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      tig:
        atl: Site-Level Evidence-Based Practice Accreditation: A Qualitative Exploration Using Institutional Theory.
      aug:
        au:
          Lengnick Hall, Rebecca
          Willging, Cathleen Elizabeth
          Aarons, Gregory A.
          Reeder, Kendal
        affil:
          Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
          Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
          Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
          University of California San Diego Dissemination and Implementation Science Center, La Jolla, California, USA
          Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
      su:
        Qualitative research
        Recidivism
        Communication
        Child welfare
        Social services
        Parent-child relationships
        Corporate culture
        Prevention of child abuse
        Professional practice
        Accreditation
        Research methodology
        Evidence-based medicine
        Conceptual structures
        Research funding
      sug:
        subj:
          Qualitative research
          Recidivism
          Communication
          Child welfare
          Social services
          Parent-child relationships
          Corporate culture
          Other Individual and Family Services
          Prevention of child abuse
          Professional practice
          Accreditation
          Research methodology
          Evidence-based medicine
          Conceptual structures
          Research funding
      keyword:
        EBP implementation
        institutional theory
        EBP implementation
        institutional theory
      ab: Accreditation is gaining ground in human services as leaders find ways to demonstrate the quality and legitimacy of services. This study examined site-level accreditation for SafeCare®, an evidence-based practice designed to prevent and reduce child maltreatment. We leveraged two waves of qualitative data to explore the perspectives of trainers, organizational and system leaders, and program developers who participated in an initial rollout of a site-level accreditation process for SafeCare. Institutional theory was used to frame accreditation's potential benefits, burden, and impact. Findings highlight specific considerations for the human service environment, including the inherent resource scarcity, interdependence among organizations, and the impact of cost and slow-moving bureaucratic processes. Current institutional pressures – such as large funding streams coming out of federal initiatives that rely on program developers to report which sites are accredited when financing evidence-based programs – may force human service organization (HSO) leaders to consider participation in site-level accreditation specific to a particular evidence-based practice (EBP) or model. Although accreditation may not meaningfully change day-to-day service delivery of an EBP, HSO leaders may gain other benefits, including cross-site communication and the ability to demonstrate legitimacy and competence within their organizational field. Accreditation cost is an essential and unavoidable consideration for program developers and purveyors who plan to use accreditation to support EBP sustainment and scale-up in HSOs.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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