Wrap-up Q&A Discussion

Evidence-based approaches (EBAs), including programs, strategies and policies, have been proven effective by research but remain underutilized by public health practitioners at community and state levels. Effectively navigating the complex, “real world” context in which evidence-based decision making occurs is a challenge for public health practitioners. This session will describe how the faculty have applied key concepts from all other sessions within their own experiences, seek participants to share their own experiences and encourage questions, and identify a virtual community of practice called Research to Reality as a online forum with opportunities for discussion, learning and enhanced collaboration. Commonly cited challenges to implementation of EBAs include lack of time to gather evidence, lack of skilled personnel or technical assistance, limited access to data and evidence-based resources, and differential perspectives of what constitutes as evidence. Furthermore, guidance to balance intervention fidelity and adaptation needed to “fit” the context of real-world implementation settings are rarely provided by program developers. This session will address these issues in a discussion forum after key concepts have been presented.