CEBC Publications
Nwabuzor Ogbonnaya, I., Martin, J., & Walsh, C. R. (2018). Using the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare as a tool for teaching evidence-based practice. Journal of Social Work Education, 54(Sup1), 531-540. doi:10.1080/10437797.2018.1434434
Using practical examples from a child welfare research capstone class, this article discusses how the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC) can be used as a tool to teach social work students how to access, analyze, and interpret current research related to child welfare practice and help them apply their understanding of evidence-based practice to their work in the field. We showcase CEBC's selection and implementation materials, including a framework for implementation, to help students learn how to apply research-supported interventions to real-world situations in child welfare or other family-serving organizations. We hope that by providing such an illustration, social work educators can apply the CEBC in their teachings on research-supported interventions.
Martin, J., Walsh, C. R., & Rolls Reutz, J. (2015). Selecting an evidence-based practice in child welfare: Challenges and steps to identifying a good fit. Child Welfare, 94(2), 107-113.
The child welfare field is increasingly under pressure to identify practices that improve outcomes for families. As a result, child welfare leaders are turning to evidence-based practices (EBPs) to ensure allocated resources achieve maximum impact for children, youth, and parents. The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse (CEBC; www.cebc4cw.org) is a critical tool for the dissemination and implementation of EBPs relevant to child welfare. The CEBC defines EBPs in child welfare as the integration of three factors: (1) the best research evidence, (2) the best clinical experience, and (3) consistent with family/client values. EBPs are rigorously tested programs found to be safe and generally effective for a specific population. The CEBC website features a program registry which provides detailed information on and reviews the existing research evidence for more than 300 programs. The website also provides guidance and resources on the implementation of evidence-based practices.
Walsh, C. (November/December 2014). An educational resource for evidence-based practice. Social Work Today, 14(6), 12-13.
Over the past 10 years, the field of social work has continued to see an increased focus on evidence-based practice (EBP). This impacts those currently working in the field, and has implications for schools of social work that are incorporating EBP information into coursework to educate the future workforce and for researchers as they seek funding for studies. A website funded by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), though not developed specifically for use by students and professors, has emerged as an important resource in education about EBP.
Guide for Child Welfare Administrators on Evidence-Based Practice - 2012
The Guide for Child Welfare Administrators on Evidence-Based Practice is an update of one that was written in 2005 as a collaborative effort between the Chadwick Center, which manages the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), funded by the California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention, and the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators (NAPCWA). The purpose is to provide guidelines for a common language and framework with which to understand the conditions, challenges, and opportunities of evidence-based practice in child welfare. This document pertains to prevention and intervention services, but the overarching principles can be applied to all practices in child welfare. It is intended to provide a foundation of information for child welfare administrators.
Soydan, H., Mullen, E. J., Alexandra, L., Rehnman, J., & Li, Y. P. (2010). Evidence-based clearinghouses in social work. Research on Social Work Practice, 20(6), 690-700. doi:10.1177/1049731510367436
Objectives: The purpose of this article is to describe several evidence-based clearinghouses focused on social work and related intervention outcomes, placing them in the context of how such clearinghouses can contribute to research dissemination to foster effective, evidence-based practice. Method: The study employed an analysis of data provided in clearinghouse Web sites and internal documentation. Results: The clearinghouses are Web-based portals where quality controlled scientific evidence of what works, what is promising, or what is possibly harmful in professional practice and policy interventions is made available to professionals, decision makers, and the general public in accessible and transparent language and format. Conclusions: Evidence-based clearinghouses in social work are promising vehicles of bringing high-quality evidence to professionals, decision makers, and other end users.
