Is implementation science a science? Not yet.

Getting the science right for implementation is critical for making the processes for improving outcomes more predictable and effective in global public health. Unfortunately, "implementation science" has become a catchphrase for ideas, assumptions, and findings concerning the science to service gap and how to close it. The purpose of this paper is to explore the dimensions of a "science of implementation" that meets the definitions of a science and is focused on implementation variables (i.

Digital transformation in schools of two southern regions of Sweden through implementation-informed approach: A mixed-methods study protocol.

Background: The enhancement of-or even a shift from-traditional teaching and learning processes to corresponding digital practices has been rapidly occurring during the last two decades. The evidence of this ongoing change is still modest or even weak. However, the adaptation of implementation science in educational settings, a research approach which arose in the healthcare field, offers promising results for systematic and sustained improvements in schools.

Normalization of Prevention Principles and Practices to Reduce Substance Use Disorders Through an Integrated Dissemination and Implementation Framework.

Major research breakthroughs over the past 30 years in the field of substance use prevention have served to: (1) enhance understanding of pharmacological effects on the central and peripheral nervous systems and the health and social consequences of use of psychoactive substances, particularly for children and adolescents; (2) delineate the processes that increase vulnerability to or protect from initiation of substance use and progression to substance use disorders (SUDs) and, based on this understanding, (3) develop effective strategies and practices to prevent the initiation and escalation of substance use. The challenge we now face as a field is to "normalize" what we have learned from this research so that it is incorporated into the work of those involved in supporting, planning, and delivering prevention programming to populations around the world, is integrated into health and social service systems, and helps to shape public policies. But we wish to go further, to incorporate these effective prevention practices into everyday life and the mind-sets of the public, particularly parents and educators.

Repeated measures of implementation variables.

It is commonly acknowledged that implementation work is long-term and contextual in nature and often takes years to accomplish. Repeated measures are needed to study the trajectory of implementation variables over time. To be useful in typical practice settings, measures that are relevant, sensitive, consequential, and practical are needed to inform planning and action.

Learning Active Implementation Frameworks: the role of implementation teams in a case study from Pakistan.

In Pakistan, although coverage of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) services has increased, the attributable disease burden remains high, indicating quality of these services remains suboptimal. To address this quality gap, challenges associated with the implementation of MNCH services will need to be addressed and effective use of the various MNCH guidelines will need to be supported, evaluated, and continuously improved. Even though the application of the field of implementation science and practice in the low- and middle-income settings has been limited, it is our belief, based on the experience described in this article that these competencies could enhance health professionals' ability to, not only successfully integrate MNCH guidelines into health systems, but to also support their effective and sustainable use.

Competences for implementation science: what trainees need to learn and where they learn it.

Education in implementation science, which involves the training of health professionals in how to implement evidence-based findings into health practice systematically, has become a highly relevant topic in health sciences education. The present study advances education in implementation science by compiling a competence profile for implementation practice and research and by exploring implementation experts' sources of expertise. The competence profile is theoretically based on educational psychology, which implies the definition of improvable and teachable competences.

The Teaching-Family Model: The First 50 Years.

The Teaching-Family Model was perhaps the first "evidence-based program" in human services. This article describes the development of the treatment model, the failure of the first attempts to replicate the treatment model, the discovery of larger units for replication, the modest success of first attempts to replicate larger units, and the eventual success of replications. The Teaching-Family Model is a testament to the sustainability (and continual improvement) of innovation and implementation methods and the value of the Teaching-Family Association for sustaining a community of practice and for managing the practitioner fidelity and organization fidelity data systems nationally.

Implementing Innovations in Global Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health: Realizing the Potential for Implementation Science.

The launch of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the new Secretary General's Global Strategy for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health are a window of opportunity for improving the health and well-being of women, children, and adolescents in the United States and around the world. Realizing the full potential of this historic moment will require that we improve our ability to successfully implement life-saving and life-enhancing innovations, particularly in low-resource settings. Implementation science, a new and rapidly evolving field that addresses the "how-to" component of providing sustainable quality services at scale, can make an important contribution on this front.

Implementing Effective Educational Practices at Scales of Social Importance.

Implementing evidence-based practices is becoming both a goal and standard across medicine, psychology, and education. Initial successes, however, are now leading to questions about how successful demonstrations may be expanded to scales of social importance. In this paper, we review lessons learned about scaling up evidence-based practices gleaned from our experience implementing school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) across more than 23,000 schools in the USA.

When evidence is not enough: the challenge of implementing fall prevention strategies.

Problem: As the evidence-based movement has advanced in public health, changes in public health practices have lagged far behind creating a science to service gap. For example, science has produced effective falls prevention interventions for older adults. It now is clearer WHAT needs to be done to reduce injury and death related to falls.

Mobilizing communities for implementing evidence-based youth violence prevention programming: a commentary.

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.

Specifying and reporting complex behaviour change interventions: the need for a scientific method.

Complex behaviour change interventions are not well described; when they are described, the terminology used is inconsistent. This constrains scientific replication, and limits the subsequent introduction of successful interventions. Implementation Science is introducing a policy of initially encouraging and subsequently requiring the scientific reporting of complex behaviour change interventions.

Research utilization among children's mental health providers.

Background: Children with emotional and behavioural disorders should be able to count on receiving care that meets their needs and is based on the best scientific evidence available, however, many do not receive these services. Implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) relies, in part, on the research utilization practices of mental health care providers. This study reports on a survey of research utilization practices among 80 children's mental health (CMH) service provider organizations in Ontario, Canada.