Policy and Practice April 2019

diverse populations in testing models to ensure efficacy of program models among communities of diverse races, ethnicities, and sexual orientation or identity. It also includes assuring the inclusion of diverse populations among the research and program design team not just as a part of the study. At APHSA, we are committed to doing our part to broker strong, stra- tegic relationships among researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and phi- lanthropy. Through our Collaborative Centers and Organizational Effectiveness practice we are actively seeking to advance a culture of evidence by: n partnering with researchers who are using modern research method- ologies to help identify and spread evidence-informed factor models and front-line practices, especially through rapid-cycle testing and developmental learning; n identifying opportunities for dem- onstrations that enable innovative partnerships with universities and think tanks focused on evaluating what works in the real world, and spreading that knowledge; and n building the capacity of health and human services agencies to effectively incorporate evidence- informed approaches into practice and continuously contribute to research cycles that enable further learning they are too often still rooted in research that occurs in the lab or other controlled environments anddo not lend themselves to rapid sharing and learning cycleswithin the agency or community- based organization. Whilemany partnerships among academia and healthandhuman services exist around the country,

In short, we seek to build a culture in our field that values generating evidence from the ground up and across the social determinants of health, well-being, and equity. At the ground level, this means embedding research and evaluation into how agencies and community-based orga- nizations deliver human services—not as an afterthought, but as inherent to doing business. Doing so will support a more inclusive and equitable approach to evidence, help embed the idea of continuous learning cycles in what we do, create a culture that encourages creativity and sparks further testing, and speed up innovation cycles for enhanced impact. Bridging this divide can help speed our understanding of the root causes of racial, economic, and social inequities; generate new partnerships and expand others around shared outcomes; create learning hubs through association networks that work across disciplines; incentivize and enable use of the latest technology; provide for optimum use of data to drive decisions through an equity lens; and, ultimately, spur broader system-level change. Through this magazine as well as our newly launched blog, “The Catalyst,” and our many events, we are committed to sharing success stories and lessons learned from around the country. We want to accelerate shared learning and build well-being from the ground up. Please share your own journey with us by contacting us at pandp@aphsa.org. Reference Notes 1. See, for example, the recently released report from Commission on Evidence- based Policymaking at https://www.cep. gov/cep-final-report.html 2. California Clearinghouse: https://www. ncfr.org/sites/default/files/2018-11/ncfr- ffpsa-presentation.final_.pdf 3. See the Frameworks Institute website at http://frameworksinstitute.org/evidence- and-implementation1.html

rapid-cycle testing, factor-modeling, or other developmental approaches. We are not effectively tapping these alternative approaches and missing out on significant ways in which research can impact key decision-making at all levels of practice and policy. From researchers and philanthropy, we need help building the capacity of the field to fully understand this continuum and how it can be of value in both policymaking and day-to- day decision-making. We also need increased studies on what it takes to connect sectors and systems (including health, public health, education, justice, and housing) as well as tradi- tional human services programs and disciplines. Philanthropic organiza- tions like the Kresge Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) are important catalysts to this effort through their respective Human Services Ecosystems and Culture of Health efforts. Many executives in the public and community-based sectors are seeking ways to evaluate and demonstrate the effectiveness of what’s happening in their own agencies and communi- ties. While many partnerships among academia and health and human services exist around the country, they are too often still rooted in research that occurs in the lab or other con- trolled environments and do not lend themselves to rapid sharing and learning cycles within the agency or community-based organization. Organizations like the Pew Commission and Harvard University’s Government Performance Lab have done much to support government in how to use evidence and data to guide policy decisions. We need to enhance opportunities for all states and locali- ties, including rural areas, to access partners and resources that build this capacity. Moreover, we need to ensure that the focus on evidence supports the ways in which agencies and organiza- tions can utilize modern evaluation methods to demonstrate the impact of effective program and service design within the real-world context of their own communities. This includes paying attention to the structural ineq- uities or bias that are likely to be hiding in the data and assuring inclusion of

April 2019   Policy&Practice 31