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Mobilizing Communities for Implementing Evidence-Based Youth Violence Prevention Programming: A Commentary

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American Journal of Community Psychology

Abstract

Evidence-based programs have struggled for acceptance in human service settings. Information gleaned from these experiences indicates that implementation is the missing link in the science to service chain. The science and practice of implementation is progressing and can inform approaches to full and effective uses of youth violence prevention programs nationally. Implementation Teams that know (a) innovations, (b) implementation best practices, and (c) improvement cycles are essential to mobilizing support for successful uses of evidence-based programs on a socially significant scale. The next wave of development in implementation science and practice is underway: establishing infrastructures for implementation to make implementation expertise available to communities nationally. Good science, implemented well in practice, can benefit all human services, including youth violence prevention.

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Acknowledgments

Preparation of this paper was supported, in part, by funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (9211973-2513-2005) and the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (H326K070002). The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to either funding source. We would like to thank our National Implementation Research Network colleagues who provide continual inspiration and delight: Michelle Duda, Allison Metz, and Sandra Naoom.

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Correspondence to Dean L. Fixsen.

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Fixsen, D.L., Blase, K.A. & Van Dyke, M.K. Mobilizing Communities for Implementing Evidence-Based Youth Violence Prevention Programming: A Commentary. Am J Community Psychol 48, 133–137 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-010-9410-1

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