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If it is important to be evidence-based in our interventions, isn’t it also important to be evidence-based in how we provide support via tools, training, technical assistance, and quality assurance/quality improvement? To find out more about the evidence-based support activities of Wandersman Center, please read a recent blog post that addresses this subject.
The publication This Week in Public Health recently featured a piece entitled, "A Conversation with Abe Wandersman" by Jon Scaccia, which highlights the contribution “Strengthening the Science and Practice of Implementation Support: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Training and Technical Assistance Centers,” an article published in a special issue of Evaluation and the Health Professions. Abe’s thought-provoking interview can be viewed at this link: THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC HEALTH. More details about this special issue article, including its authors, research, and development, are provided in the section that follows directly below.
Special Issue
Abraham Wandersman and Lawrence M. Scheier have edited two special issues of the journal Evaluation & the Health Professions on the critically important topic of how to increase the probability of achieving outcomes and going to scale via quality implementation support. The first special issue appeared in June 2024. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year by U.S. federal agencies for training and technical assistance (TTA) to be delivered by training and technical assistance centers (TTACs) to “delivery system organizations” (e.g., federally qualified health centers, state departments of health, substance abuse treatment centers, schools, and healthcare organizations). TTACs are often requested to help delivery system organizations implement evidence-based interventions. Yet, counterintuitively, TTACs are rarely required to use evidence-based approaches when supporting delivery systems (in the use of evidence-based interventions). In fact, evaluations of TTAC activities tend to be minimal; evaluation of technical assistance (if conducted at all) often emphasizes outputs (number of encounters), satisfaction, and self-reports of knowledge gained—more substantive outcomes are not evaluated. The gap between (a) the volume of TTA services being funded and provided and (b) the evaluation of those services is immense and has the potential to be costly. The basic question to be answered is: how effective are TTA services? The special issue promotes 1) knowledge of the state of the art of evaluation of TTACs and 2) advances in what to evaluate in TTA. A major goal of the issue is to improve the science and practice of implementation support, particularly in the areas of TTA.
The introduction article can be viewed by clicking HERE or on the title above, and access to the entire issue of Evaluation and the Health Professions 47(2) is available at this LINK until September 20, 2024.
The table of contents of the Special Issue are listed below:
- "Strengthening the Science and Practice of Implementation Support: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Training and Technical Assistance Centers" with Special Issue Editors: Abraham Wandersman and Lawrence M. Scheier
- "Strengthening the Science and Practice of Implementation Support: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Training and Technical Assistance Centers" by Abraham Wandersman and Lawrence M. Scheier
- "Continuous Quality Improvement in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Technology Transfer Center Network: A Process Evaluation" by Jon Agley, Ruth Gassman, Kaitlyn Reho, Jeffrey Roberts, Susan K. R. Heil, Graciela Castillo, and Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo
- "How do the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Technology Transfer Centers Decide What Evidence-Based Practices to Disseminate and Determine How to Do So? A Cross-Sectional Study of a National Network " by Kaitlyn Reho, Jon Agley, Ruth Gassman, Jeffrey Roberts, Susan K. R. Heil, and Jharna Katara
- "Supporting Implementation Through Online Learning Communities: Lessons Learned From a National Training and Technical Assistance Network" by Jonathan R. Olson, Elizabeth Reisinger Walker, Lydia Chwastiak, Benjamin G. Druss, Todd Molfenter, Felicia Benson, Alfredo Cerrato, and Heather J. Gotham
- "The Role of Cooperative Extension in Delivering Training and Technical Assistance to Support Evidence-Based Behavioral Health Practices in Rural Communities" by Elizabeth Weybright, Sandi Phibbs, Cassandra Watters, Allison Myers, Michelle Peavy, and Abbey Martin
- "Unpacking Technical Assistance (TA) Strategies Within a State-Level Prevention Support System: A Mixed-Method Study in Determining Types and Amount of TA" by Jochebed G. Gayles, Sarah M. Chilenski, Nataly Barragan, Brittany Rhoades Cooper, Janet Agnes Welsh, and Megan Galinsky
- "Technical Assistance for Systemic Change: Lessons Learned From a National Technical Assistance Center" by Caryn S. Ward, Sophia Farmer, and Melanie Livet
New Articles
To access the most recently published articles developed by team members of Wandersman Center, click the citations below.
Johnson, K., Collins, D., Shamblen, S., & Wandersman, A. (2024). A science-informed sustainability readiness strategy to sustain health-related community coalitions. Journal of Sustainability Research, 6(3):e240045. DOI:10.20900/jsr.20240045
Wandersman, A., & Dearing, J. (2023). Scaling Up Interventions: From Promising Pilots to Adoption in Multiple Sites [PowerPoint slides]. https://www.wandersmancenter.org/uploads/1/2/8/5/128593635/od2a_promising_pilots_8-10-23.pdf
Scott, V. C., LaMarca, T. K., Hamm, D., Tolley, A. J., Rachel, S. A., & Wandersman, A. (2024). The ART of readiness: A practical tool for implementation tailoring at the activity level. Global Implementation Research and Applications. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43477-023-00115-1
Dias, E. M., Walker, T. J., Craig, D. W., Gibson, R., Szeszulski, J., Brandt, H.M., Johnson, H., Lamont, A., Wandersman, A., & Fernandez, M. E. (2023). Examining readiness for implementing practice changes in federally qualified health centers: A rapid qualitative study. Journal of Community Psychology, 51, 2724–2740. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.23041
Johnson, K., Collins, D., & Wandersman, A. (2023). Developing a sustainability readiness strategy for health systems: Toolkit, interactive tools, and virtual support system. Evaluation and Program Planning, 97, 102241. Advance online publication. DOI:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2023.102241
McClam, M., Workman, L., Dias, E. M., Walker, T. J., Brandt, H. M., Craig, D. W., Gibson, R., Lamont, A., Weiner, B. J., Wandersman, A., & Fernandez, M. E. (2023). Using cognitive interviews to improve a measure of organizational readiness for implementation. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 93. DOI:10.1186/s12913-022-09005-y
Macauda, M. M., Arent, M. A., Sakhuja, M., Yelton, B., Noblet, S., Fedrick, D., Zona, D., New, C., Isenhower, W. D., Wandersman, A., & Friedman, D. B. (2022). Elements for successful implementation of a clinic-based health literacy intervention. Frontiers in Public Health (Family Medicine and Primary Care). DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2022.977765
Scott, V. C., Jillani, Z., Malpert, A., Kolodny-Goetz, J., & Wandersman, A. (2022). A scoping review of the evaluation and effectiveness of technical assistance. Implementation Science Communications 3(70). DOI: 10.1186/s43058-022-00314-1
Acosta, J., Chinman, M., Tharp, A., Baker, J., Flaspohler, P., Fortson, B., Kerr, A., Lamont, A., Meyer, A., Smucker, S., Wargel, K., & Wandersman, A. (2022). Development and pilot test of criteria defining best practices for organizational sexual assault prevention. Preventive Medicine Reports 26. DOI:10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101723
Watson, A. K., Hernandez, B. F., Kolodny-Goetz, J., Walker, T. J., Lamont, A., Imm, P., Wandersman, A., & Fernandez, M. E. (2022). Using implementation mapping to build organizational readiness. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 1-10. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.904652
Kenworthy, T., Domlyn, A., Scott, V. C., Schwartz, R., & Wandersman, A. (2022). A proactive, systematic approach to building the capacity of technical assistance providers. Health Promotion Practice. Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1177/15248399221080096
Splett, J. W., Perales, K., Miller, E., Hartley, S. N., Wandersman, A., Halliday, C. A., & Weist, M. D. (2022). Using readiness to understand implementation challenges in school mental health research. Journal of Community Psychology, 1-21. DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22818
Wandersman, A., & Dearing, J. (2023). Scaling Up Interventions: From Promising Pilots to Adoption in Multiple Sites [PowerPoint slides]. https://www.wandersmancenter.org/uploads/1/2/8/5/128593635/od2a_promising_pilots_8-10-23.pdf
Scott, V. C., LaMarca, T. K., Hamm, D., Tolley, A. J., Rachel, S. A., & Wandersman, A. (2024). The ART of readiness: A practical tool for implementation tailoring at the activity level. Global Implementation Research and Applications. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43477-023-00115-1
Dias, E. M., Walker, T. J., Craig, D. W., Gibson, R., Szeszulski, J., Brandt, H.M., Johnson, H., Lamont, A., Wandersman, A., & Fernandez, M. E. (2023). Examining readiness for implementing practice changes in federally qualified health centers: A rapid qualitative study. Journal of Community Psychology, 51, 2724–2740. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.23041
Johnson, K., Collins, D., & Wandersman, A. (2023). Developing a sustainability readiness strategy for health systems: Toolkit, interactive tools, and virtual support system. Evaluation and Program Planning, 97, 102241. Advance online publication. DOI:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2023.102241
McClam, M., Workman, L., Dias, E. M., Walker, T. J., Brandt, H. M., Craig, D. W., Gibson, R., Lamont, A., Weiner, B. J., Wandersman, A., & Fernandez, M. E. (2023). Using cognitive interviews to improve a measure of organizational readiness for implementation. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 93. DOI:10.1186/s12913-022-09005-y
Macauda, M. M., Arent, M. A., Sakhuja, M., Yelton, B., Noblet, S., Fedrick, D., Zona, D., New, C., Isenhower, W. D., Wandersman, A., & Friedman, D. B. (2022). Elements for successful implementation of a clinic-based health literacy intervention. Frontiers in Public Health (Family Medicine and Primary Care). DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2022.977765
Scott, V. C., Jillani, Z., Malpert, A., Kolodny-Goetz, J., & Wandersman, A. (2022). A scoping review of the evaluation and effectiveness of technical assistance. Implementation Science Communications 3(70). DOI: 10.1186/s43058-022-00314-1
Acosta, J., Chinman, M., Tharp, A., Baker, J., Flaspohler, P., Fortson, B., Kerr, A., Lamont, A., Meyer, A., Smucker, S., Wargel, K., & Wandersman, A. (2022). Development and pilot test of criteria defining best practices for organizational sexual assault prevention. Preventive Medicine Reports 26. DOI:10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101723
Watson, A. K., Hernandez, B. F., Kolodny-Goetz, J., Walker, T. J., Lamont, A., Imm, P., Wandersman, A., & Fernandez, M. E. (2022). Using implementation mapping to build organizational readiness. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 1-10. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.904652
Kenworthy, T., Domlyn, A., Scott, V. C., Schwartz, R., & Wandersman, A. (2022). A proactive, systematic approach to building the capacity of technical assistance providers. Health Promotion Practice. Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1177/15248399221080096
Splett, J. W., Perales, K., Miller, E., Hartley, S. N., Wandersman, A., Halliday, C. A., & Weist, M. D. (2022). Using readiness to understand implementation challenges in school mental health research. Journal of Community Psychology, 1-21. DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22818
Webinars
To view a webinar recently hosted by Wandersman Center, click the citation below.
What We Do
Research
We provide extensive research consultation and support by helping people process data and underlying relationships. Sometimes, this means we assist researchers in asking the right questions, but in other cases, we collaborate with existing projects and run analyses. |
Evaluation
Wandersman Center's team members are among the industry leaders in understanding and using actionable data for making implementation improvement. We specialize in mixed-methods formative evaluation. |
Support
Within our partnerships, we offer multiple ways to assist projects in building their readiness and ability to implement and evaluate well. We use the Evidence-Based System for Implementation Support, an in-depth approach to designing and executing support strategies to help stakeholders succeed. |
Meet Abe
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LocationsWandersman Center South
Located in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, our main office is conveniently situated close to the flagship University of South Carolina and multiple state and community-level agencies. We are deeply connected to many stakeholders throughout the region. 1512 Laurel Street Columbia, SC 29201 Wandersman Center North Strategically positioned in New York City, Wandersman Center North has ready access to the Northeast's major population centers of New York City, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Washington, DC. |
