To be honest, I never thought in a million years I would ever have to use research methods. I hated research in undergrad and really did not see how it was going to benefit me in the social work field; I had the persona that I was just going to be helping people. Well, I was mistakenly wrong. In helping people and receiving government funds, you have prove that your program is effective and it works. I wish that I had paid more attention in research so that I could have gained the knowledge of evaluating statstics and evidence that proves that particular prevention programs are successful.
In reading the article on Evidence-Based Practice, this term is used in many different ways;it appears that the article really focuses on evidence base research being used in the mental health and clinical field. I feel that evidence based pratice is used in the non-profit/prevention setting. As a social worker, that works in a prevention agency that deals with children, we have to show that our prevention programs that we are implementing in the schools are really working and making a difference. In saying that, I think that evidence-based practice is very helpful to social workers. One thing I have learned from working in the social work setting that people want proof as well as the documentation to show that a program is working and you deserve the funding for it.
The article is correct in stating that Social Workers and other professionals must be skilled in assessment and diagnosis; who wants to go to a social worker in plain terms " does know what the heck they are doing"? and they do not have the evidence to back up what they are talking about; I surely wouldn't. The article is correct in saying that consumers and professionals are important stakeholders in developing research agenda; this does help our country move from effectiveness to effiacy in the intervention and prevention programs implemented. What it all comes down to is that as Social Workers we must conduct evidence-based research to better serve our clients.