Many program developers are under the impression that SAMHSA is the only agency to which they can submit research studies for evaluation. This is not the case, as there are many Registries with a wide range of requirements, on the “continuum of levels of evidence”. Agencies also have a variety of names for each of these levels. Evidence-based practice had been considered the “gold standard” of rating, based on the stringent standards of evaluation to be met, however, this too has changed. NREPP (SAMHSA) currently rates program outcomes as “effective”, “promising”, or “ineffective”. Other levels of evaluation rated by Registries of the Dept. of Education and Justice include proven, effective, promising, best, emerging, ineffective and inconclusive practices.
SAMHSA Registry Hierarchy
Promising Practice is described through design as “the evidence base produced sufficient evidence of a favorable outcome”, while Detroit Wayne County Mental Health Authority (DWMHA) defines Best Practice as “there is evidence of efficacy based on non-randomized intervention studies or other studies (including single subject design)”.
DWMHA Registry Hierarchy
- Evidence-based Practice. There are two or more randomized, controlled and well conducted outcome studies comparing the intervention to at least one alternative treatment.
- Best Practice. There is evidence of efficacy based on non-randomized intervention studies or other studies (including single subject design).
- Promising Practice. There is general acceptance or anecdotal evidence supporting the treatment but there has been no scientific testing of efficacy.
- Emerging Practice. Innovative interventions that don’t appear to be harmful but have not been widely used or discussed in the professional literature.
- Questionable Practice. Intervention strategies that have the possibility to do harm, are unethical, or have poorly conceived theoretical assumptions
BABES has completed the Planning Stage of our Credentialing Project with Wayne State University’s Dean of Research for the School of Social Work, Dr. Joanne Sobeck. They evaluated eleven previous written studies, submitted by independent researchers over the past 33 years, reaching the conclusion that, at this point, BABES meets the SAMHSA criteria of Promising Practice and the DWMHA standards of Best Practice. Both certifications are only one step below Effective Practice on their Hierarchy. Upon completion of the Project, there is little doubt that BABES will be added to the Registry as a top level practice, with our target date being the first quarter of 2018. BABESWORLD is working diligently on the submission to SAMHSA. Our success depends on the cooperation of program presenters, trainers and godparents in maintaining fidelity and data submission to ensure that BABES is consistent with our program implementation around the world!
