Psychiatry Issue Brief Intermediaries Promote the Use of Research Evidence in Children’s Behavioral Health Systems Change

The use of research to inform policy and practice has received enormous attention in behavioral health over the last decade. Federal agencies and service purchasers are increasingly demanding that interventions and the dollars that fund them be attached to a body of evidence demonstrating effectiveness with regard to desired outcomes. In this Issue Brief, we provide background on the use of research to inform policy and practice, describe the use of evidence in the context of Massachusetts-wide systems change in children’s behavioral health services, and discuss the key role of intermediaries in facilitating knowledge exchange. Research or research evidence is defined as empirical findings derived from systematic analysis of information, guided by purposeful research questions and methods (Asen et al., 2011). Use of Research b