More than 100 researchers, students, veterans, active duty service members, and military leaders attended the 1st Annual Military Research Centers Summit at the University of Southern California. The summit brought this diverse array of participants together to discuss critical and emerging issues facing service members, veterans, and their families. Panel discussions and break out sessions covered a range of topics, including behavioral health, transition, suicide and violence, physical health and disability, and families.
Daniel Perkins, Director of the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness, gave a talk on how the Clearinghouse is promoting evidence-based practice among professionals working with military families. In particular, he described how the Clearinghouse lowers barriers to evidence-based practice by housing information on more than 900 evidence-based programs and practices that have been carefully vetted by Clearinghouse researcher staff. Dr. Perkins also discussed lessons learned related to conducting applied research and the importance of implementation science.
“I think attendees at the summit were excited about implementation science best practices and their application to working with military families,” said Dr. Perkins. “These practices include making informed decisions about what evidence-based programs should be used within a particular context, implementing the programs with quality, making adaptations when justified, collecting data, and evaluating program impact. The Clearinghouse is quickly being recognized as the go-to place for the uptake of implementation science principles being applied to military families.”
One of the most gratifying aspects of the summit, according to Keith Aronson, Associate Director of the Clearinghouse, was the energy and passion about making a difference in the lives of those who serve our country. “You could tell just by being in the room that people are working tirelessly, without ego, and in great haste to have an impact," stated Dr. Aronson. “It was great to see how many efforts are underway in terms of research, outreach, and policy change that are based on strong science. I think Penn State can be proud that the Clearinghouse is playing a part in this national undertaking."
Learn more about the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at www.militaryfamilies.psu.edu.
The Clearinghouse is funded by the Department of Defense, United States Department of Agriculture, Air Force, Army, Navy, and foundation support.