Wandersman Center

Dedicated to getting to results.
Dedicated to getting to outcomes.

For us, it is not enough to identify the strategies that lead to positive outcomes. At Wandersman Center, we are more interested in helping people reach those outcomes with the populations that they serve.

Furthermore, we draw extensively upon the related literature of formative evaluation and improvement science to advance projects and implementation while they are being implemented. These processes help address issues as they occur so that incremental change can be strategically made to an initiative.

These evidence-based principles are outlined within our downloadable Readiness-Building Guide.

BE READY

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 blog post that addresses this subject.

Sustainability Readiness Strategy for Healthcare Organizations

Knowlton Johnson, David Collins,
Steve Shamblen, and Abraham Wandersman

In 2025, the PIRE sustainability team in partnership with the Wandersman Center completed a sustainability readiness strategy (SRS) for organizations interested in sustainment of healthcare evidence-based interventions (EBIs) after initial funding has ended. The SRS is an evidence-informed strategy that includes three evidence-based components: (1) a logic model with documented evidence of the connection between readiness and sustainability, (2) an adapted Getting to Outcomes® (GTO) process model, and (3) online coaching considered necessary to support SRS implementation. Five support system resources are a detailed Toolkit, interactive Excel™ Tools, a Coaching Guide, an Evaluation Guide, and a Training for Coach and Training on Excel™ Tool Use. A landing page that can be accessed through the following link presents an overview of (and links to) the five SRS support system resources: A Strategy to Sustain Healthcare EBIs (PIRE, 2025).

The publication This Week in Public Health 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.

New Podcasts

Click the audio link below to hear a half-hour conversational podcast that engagingly describes the essence and significance of the ISF 2.0, which is featured in the (in-press) article: "Commentary: Bridging and Reducing the Gaps Between Research and Practice: Pathways to Outcomes and the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation 2.0."

This recording and additional exciting new podcasts on the science and practice of implementation support (e.g., training and technical assistance) are posted on the Wandersman Center website blog at https://www.wandersmancenter.org/blog.

SAGE Journal Special Issues

Abraham Wandersman and Lawrence M. Scheier have edited two special issues of the SAGE 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.

Second Special Issue
Strengthening the Science and Practice of Implementation Support:
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Training and Technical Assistance Centers

Released in December 2024, The entire journal can be viewed by clicking HERE or on the title above, and links for the Second Special Issue's individual articles are listed below. Brief descriptions of each article can also be viewed by clicking on this LINK.

The First Special Issue: Strengthening the Science and Practice of Implementation Support:
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Training and Technical Assistance Centers

The first Special Issue was released in June of 2024, and the entire journal contents can be viewed by clicking HERE or on the title above. Links to the individual articles of the First Special Issue are provided below:

New Articles

To access the most recently published articles developed by team members of Wandersman Center, click the citations below.

Craig, D. W., Hunyadi, J., Walker, T. J., Workman, L., McClam, M., Lamont, A., Padilla, J. R., Diamond, P., Wandersman, A., & Fernandez, M. E. (2025). Using a novel, multi-method approach to evaluate the quality of self-report survey data in organizational readiness research. Implementation Science Communications, 6(63). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-025-00751-8

Scheier, L. M., & Wandersman, A. (2024). Collective impact—Strengthening the science and practice of implementation support: Evaluating the effectiveness of training and technical assistance centers [Special Issue]. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 47(4), 347-352. https://doi.org/10.1177/01632787241295323

Lamont, A. E., Watson, A., Cook, B. S., Romero, A., Schalter, K., Nellis, A., Clark, K., Domlyn, A., & Wandersman, A. (2024). Barriers and facilitators in adopting a systematic, proactive, evidence-informed technical assistance system. [Special Issue]. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 47(4), 353-368. https://doi.org/10.1177/01632787241293756

Scott, V. C., Chagnon, E., & Wandersman, A. (2024). The Technical Assistance (TA) Effectiveness Logic Model: A tool for systematically planning, delivering, and evaluating TA. [Special Issue]. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 47(4), 369-385.

Chen, H., Chuengsatiansup, K., Wong, D. R., Sihapark, S., Krisanaprakornkit, T., Wisetpholchai, B., Tongsiri, S., Hinton, L., Gallagher-Thompson, D., Wandersman, A., Marques, A. H., Lamont, A., & Levkoff, S. E. (2024). Strengthening system readiness for health interventions: Lessons for implementing interventions and implementation support in low-and middle-income countries. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 47(4), 475-483. https://doi.org/10.1177/01632787241295322

Wandersman, A., Cook B., Lamont A., Watson A., Clark K., & Flaspohler P. (2024). Bridging and reducing the gaps between research and practice: Pathways to outcomes and the interactive systems framework for dissemination and implementation 2.0. Evaluation and the Health Professions, 47(4), 494-506. https://doi.org/10.1177/01632787241299820

McClam, M., Workman, L., Walker, T. J., Dias, E. M., Craig, D. W., Padilla, J. R., Lamont, A. E., Wandersman, A., & Fernandez, M. E. (2025). Organizational readiness for implementation: a qualitative assessment to explain survey responses. BMC Health Services Research, 25(1), 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-12149-8

Dias, E. M., Walker, T. J., Balasubramanian, B. A., Cuccaro, P. M., Workman, L., Wandersman, A., & Fernandez, M. E. (2024). Organizational readiness and implementation of colorectal cancer screening evidence-based interventions in federally qualified health centers: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 1-22. 10.1017/cts.2024.689

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

Webinars

To view a webinar recently hosted by Wandersman Center, click the citation below.

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.pd

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
Our Founder

"I have been interested, for a long time, perhaps forever in my career, on how we can make a better world."

The core belief that people can improve their own lives is something that has been with Dr. Abraham "Abe" Wandersman since the beginning of his career. Early in his graduate studies, Abe became fascinated with understanding what people can do for themselves to solve problems.

Abe has decades of experience related to improving programs and communities. His work, which focuses on how to bridge the gap between research and practice, has received international acclaim. As a professor emeritus of the University of South Carolina, Abe is busier than ever.

In 2018, Abe founded the Wandersman Center with the goal of improving the quality of services for individual and community health and wellbeing through practical implementation science. Abe plays an active role in all of our projects, bringing ideas to fruition and encouraging others to do the same.

Excerpt from: https://web.archive.org/web/20200921041909/http://www.midlandsanchor.com/commitment-to-community-abe-wandersman-offers-expertise-to-help-columbia-thrive/

click here to read more about abe's approach, experiences, and accomplishments

Locations

Wandersman 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.