2006 Children's Bridge Conference Summary
Overview
The Children’s Bridge at Wayne State University brings together researchers and practitioners at its biennial Children’s Conference to disseminate best practices for working with children and families in urban areas. The first conference, hosted on Wayne State’s campus in 2004, began to set an agenda to determine the needs of urban children and identify critical areas for research and study. The results of that conference are available in the Strategic Action Agenda (pdf) and a special issue of the Merrill-Palmer Quarterly.
Co-hosted by the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, the 2006 Children’s Conference, Promoting the Well-Being of Children and Youth in Urban America: Best Practices to Next Practices, brought local and national speakers to Wayne State University’s campus to highlight evidence-based programs. The conference had several general sessions, with breakout sessions divided among four tracks:
- Children at Risk
- Health and Health Disparities
- Language and Learning
- Violence, Abuse and Trauma.
Participants chose which sessions they wanted to attend, allowing them to customize the conference to their particular interests and best apply what they learned to their area of focus. Attendees learned about evidence-based programs leading to best practices and were provided with advice on how to implement these programs locally and nationally.
Evidence-Based Programs
By definition evidence-based programs, or EBPs, integrate research and practice to enhance client or patient outcomes, and are evaluated not only by using traditional research methods, such as clinical trials, but also by applications in the field. For example, findings from a traditional study may indicate that a specific program is effective in a controlled setting; however, if training the staff or purchasing the manuals cannot be funded, or if insurance carriers will not cover the cost of treatment, the research may have little actual implication for practice.
Currently, many funding agencies encourage practitioners to use EBPs to guide decisions about which programs to implement; yet many practitioners may not have the information needed to distinguish interventions supported by research and practice from those that are not. The 2006 conference united researchers, educators and students with care providers, policy makers and advocates to focus on best practices for promoting the welfare of urban children in the United States and on disseminating program models for next practices. This conference played a critical role in bringing together top researchers in the nation to share their expertise and practical knowledge of prevention and intervention programs proven to make a difference in the lives of urban children and youth. Participants learned approaches for translating program ideas into practice, methods for measuring and demonstrating program effectiveness, and strategies for locating and securing funding to implement programs. National experts on issues relevant to urban children, as well as local specialists, set the tone for the conference by highlighting the need for evidence-based programs. During concurrent specialized sessions, individuals who have investigated, implemented and evaluated successful programs shared their insights.
Virtual Conference
The purpose of this virtual conference is to continue the conversation that was begun on site at Wayne State University. This website contains many of the handouts, PowerPoint presentations, poster abstracts and video from the conference. We encourage you to explore the information here and also visit the websites for the organizations the conference speakers represent. Many of these websites contain further information about evidence-based practices in general, along with the specific programs that speakers discussed.
By posting these materials, we hope to reinforce participants’ past learning and help disseminate new concepts in practice. Throughout the conference, participants, including students, researchers and practitioners, were encouraged to discuss the many interrelated challenges in developing and implementing successful programs that benefit urban children and families. Real progress was made by giving full scope and expression to the ingenuity, insight and potential of the families and children who make up urban communities. Presenting this work in a virtual environment allows us to offer continued access to conference materials for those who were able to attend the conference, while also making the material accessible to those who were unable to attend all or part of the sessions.
Criteria of Evidence-Based Programs
Although there is no single definition of an evidence-based program, most agency definitions encompass several key characteristics within two broad categories.
Quality of Evidence. The first category is “quality of evidence” or “efficacy.” Agencies often look at criteria such as study design, program implementation, outcome analysis, and program evaluation measures. An EBP that is rated “highly effective” typically enhances client outcomes in a measurable way and ensures consistent delivery through replication in the field (intervention fidelity). These programs may also be called “model” EBPs and are well-evaluated and well-implemented. Programs considered “promising” often have shown measurable results, but have not been replicated enough to determine whether the results can be generalized to a larger population. The Children’s Bridge conference featured programs that had been evaluated in research investigations, but were also relevant to urban issues.
Dissemination Capability. The second category is “dissemination capability” or “clinical utility.” This category examines criteria such as whether the program has created training manuals for distribution, whether the program is appropriate for diverse populations, what the cost of the program is, and other feasibility issues. Model EBPs often have high quality materials, training and technical assistance available so other organizations may implement the program. Because services work best when responsive to a participant’s specific problems, values, personality, sociocultural context and preferences, EBPs require consideration of the participant as an individual. The practitioner ultimately makes the judgment about what will be most effective; however, practitioners should work collaboratively with participants to determine the best intervention or treatment plan. Although there are a number of highly effective EBPs, they may not be appropriate for all individuals or organizations. There are a number of websites that contain more information about EBPs and how to determine if they are appropriate for your organization. For a list of these websites, please see Related Links.
Feedback from the conference indicates participants felt the information they gained was valuable to their practice and research. We hope that the information contained on this website will be as beneficial. The virtual conference contains speakers’ PowerPoint presentations and handouts, streaming video of the plenary sessions and abstracts from the poster session. We have also posted speakers’ biographies and any research findings or publications the presenters have asked us to include. Conversations about best practices for assisting urban children and families must continue to successfully address the community’s interrelated challenges and concerns. This virtual conference is one method of advancing that goal.