Translation & Dissemina
ation Program
m Area
Bennett Pierrce Preventio
on Research C
Center
The
e Pennsylvaniia State Univversity
TRA
ANSLATION
N & DISSE
EMINATION
N
The Benn
nett Pierce Prevention
P
Research
R
Ce
enter has lon
ng been a wo
orld leader in the
advancem
ment of prevvention scie
ence related to the tran
nslation and dissemination of effecttive
preventivve interventtions. The PRC recognizes that evid
dence-based programs ccan only imp
pact
populatio
on-level pub
blic health iff they are efffectively taaken to scale
e, implemen
nted with hiigh
quality, and
a sustaine
ed over time
e. The PRC continues
c
to
o engage in rrigorous rese
earch to
improve our understtanding of th
he mechanissms that imp
pact the difffusion of inn
novations forr the
improvem
ment of pub
blic health.
The term
m “Type II Trranslational Research” has
h emerged
d to differen
ntiate this area of studyy
from the
e basic (Type
e I) scientificc study requ
uired to und erstand the etiology of a problem a
and
subseque
ently develo
op and test the
t efficacy of an intervvention. Acccording to th
he National
Institutess of Health (NIH), Type II Translatio
onal Researcch is aimed at enhancing the adopttion,
implementation, and
d sustainability of prove
en effective programs w
within service systems th
hat
include health
h
care settings,
s
sch
hools, and community-b
based organiizations. Typ
pe II
Translatiional Researrch represen
nts the studyy of processe
es, facilitato
ors, and barrriers to movving
efficacio
ous preventio
on and interrvention pro
ograms and p
practices to widespread
d adoption, w
with
the ultim
mate goal of achieving broad
b
public health imprrovement. W
With the identification o
of a
growing number of evidence-bas
e
sed program
ms (EBPs), th
his area of re
esearch has become a ffocal
point of prevention science
s
in re
ecent years,, and contin ues to be a central focu
us of the PR
RC’s
research portfolio.
Backgrou
und
g of the cou
untry’s leadiing prevention researchers
In 1999, the PRC hossted a scienttific meeting
to begin to develop some of the
e first conceptual modells for studying preventio
on
implementation as a facilitator of moving evidence-bas
e
sed program
ms to widespread practicce.
At the sa
ame time, PR
RC researchers conductted one of th
he first comprehensive research revviews
to identify model programs for the
t preventiion of childrren’s mental health pro
oblems. In th
he
years since, the Center’s portfolio of researrch related tto translatio
on, dissemin
nation,
implementation, and
d sustainability has grow
wn tremendo
ously. The P
PRC’s work in this area
includes large, multii-state, and multi-site randomized
r
trials of new
w models for disseminatting
EBPs, larrge-scale stu
udies of the replication of EBPs und
der natural cconditions to
o examine
barriers and
a predicto
ors of implementation quality
q
and ssustainabilitty, the studyy of coalition
models to promote and
a support going to sca
ale, as well as developm
mental and ccomparative
e
trials of EBP adaptattions. In 2010, the PRC created
c
a de
edicated Tra
anslation & Dissemination
Unit, beg
gan a month
hly Type II re
esearch read
ding group t o read abou
ut and discusss current Tyype
II researc
ch, and held
d the first an
nnual Type II research p
poster sessio
on to highlight the PRC’ss
depth an
nd breadth of
o translation
nal research
h and facilitaate networkking and colllaboration
among in
nterested faculty and grraduate stud
dents.
1
Translation & Dissemination Program Area
Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center
The Pennsylvania State University
Goals
The PRC’s goals in the area of translation and dissemination include:
1. To advance the science, policymaking, and practice of utilizing evidence-based prevention
to improve public health.
2. To conduct rigorous research aimed at identifying the resources and processes necessary
to effectively take evidence-based programs to scale.
3. To identify and promote practices that lead to high-quality implementation and
sustainability of evidence-based programs.
4. To develop a model infrastructure for the dissemination, implementation, and
sustainability of effective prevention programs and practices.
5. To foster networks of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners engaged in efforts to
improve public health through evidence-based prevention.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Brian K. Bumbarger
bkb10@psu.edu
(814) 863-2568
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