Implementation

Because of the variety in proven interventions, states and communities have leeway to find programs that suit local values, opportunities, and budgets. The key is to select strategies that have documented effectiveness, assure that they are implemented well, and recognize the critical importance of a strong commitment to continuous program improvement.

• Match expectations with sufficient resources .  Be clear about the goals, purpose and target audience for specific programs.  Provide sufficient resources to ensure fidelity to the evidence-based model, or modify expectations to accommodate variances.

• Identify barriers.   Effective policy development requires the identification of factors that may impede effective implementation.

• Make provisions for broad-based input.  When involvement will increase the likelihood that the needs of children and families are being met by the policy, engage community stakeholders (providers, parents, youth, and courts) in implementation.

• Support local capacity and communication . Provide technical assistance, monitoring, and oversight to local programs and agencies.  Create opportunities for local-to-local communication, best practices sharing, and local input on state policy decisions.

• Support ongoing evaluation and continuous program improvement.

  A community-based approach to child maltreatment prevention requires policymakers to balance the need for uniformity with the importance of regional and cultural specificity:

• Avoid narrowly defining prevention or programs around specific indicators either because the results would be easier to track or because of budgetary constraints.

• Support local decisions which establish programs that attend to the specific conditions of various populations (e.g., geographic, socioeconomic, racial/ethnic conditions) so the system of care can conform to the inherent strengths and weaknesses of a particular community.