Some of you may be wondering what is evidence-based practice…
In a nutshell, evidence-based practice refers to the type of decision-making process in which the clinician uses the best evidence available for treatment, in consultation with the client, to decide upon the treatment option that best suits the client.
In this manner, the practitioner is not relying on intuition, experience or “expert” opinion as to which is the best course of treatment. Instead the clinician is looking at scientific results which have indicated which treatments work best for which mental health issues etc. and is making sure to involve the client in the decision-making process.
While evidence-based practice has been around for some time, it is still not widely practiced. To assist those of you who would like to employ this method in your work, I’ve listed the most reputable (and easily accessible) sites for this type of data below.
United States
Cochrane – evidence-based health care and systematic reviews
Information for Practice – practice guidelines are included in Guidelines Plus category
SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence Based Programs and Practices
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC)
Britain
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) – NHS Evidence helps you find, access, and use high quality clinical information; NICE Pathways enables you to see at a glance our recommendations on a specific clinical or health topic
Research in Practice – supporting evidence-informed practice with children and families
Research in Practice for Adults – evidence-informed policy and practice in adult social care
Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
The Centre for Evidence Based Mental Health based in Oxford
The National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) – established by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop guidance on the appropriate treatment and care of people.
With gratitude to those who contributed to the above list: Gary Holden, George Julian, and Ericka Kimball.
Are there any additional good evidence-based sources that are missing from the above list? If so, please add them in the comments.
Also, have you used any of these sources for your work with clients? If yes, could you tell us which are your favorites and/or least favorites and why?
You May Also Enjoy:
The Process of Evidence-Based Practice (The Social Work Podcast)
Photo credit: Mckay Savage
Reference:
Gambrill, E. (1999). Evidence-based practice: An alternative to authority-based practice. Families in Society, 80, 341-350.
I love using SAMSHA’s database. Not only do they provide EBP interventions that have been tested with specific populations (women, offenders, city, etc). It also tells you the quality of the research that backs up the intervention. I took an Evidence Based Practice in Mental Health class last semester on our professor stated that an EBP had to submit their program into the database, hence, just because you see it in there doesn’t necessarily mean that their aren’t more or more effective EBP’s available if needed. Great blog! I think EBP is great, but I think practitioners still need strong clinical skills if they want to be effective.
Thanks so much, Mozart, for sharing your experience and knowledge about using SAMHSA’s database.
Yes, I agree – EBP is only effective in the hands of a practitioner who has established the therapeutic alliance with the client and has the skills to apply EBP and/or adjust it when/as needed.