An Implementation Toolkit to Enhance Evidence-Based Practice Among Marginalized Families: A Study Protocol

It is reported that efforts to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs) do not always translate to community-based systems of care, such as the federally mandated early intervention (EI) system. There are disparities in accessing adequate care including early detection and intervention for young autistic children and their families, which are highlighted among marginalized families with immigrant or refugee backgrounds. One factor that exacerbates this implementation gap is the limited cultural responsiveness of EI providers who work with underserved marginalized families. As EI is often the first care system that marginalized families encounter, it is imperative to examine how we can enhance cultural responsiveness in providers’ EBP delivery.

This is a 3-year mixed-method study to design, implement, and pilot-test a novel implementation toolkit to enhance cultural responsiveness in EBP delivery among EI providers who work with marginalized families. This study was designed by the principles of community-partnered participatory research (CPPR) where we will closely collaborate with diverse community members in co-designing some aspects of the study. The I-TEAM will include various implementation strategies, such as online training, coaching, facilitation, joint problem solving. The pilot study will be conducted using a mixed-method design to collect both quantitative and qualitative outcomes across providers, families, and EI organizations.

This study will inform how an implementation toolkit would enhance cultural responsiveness of providers who work with marginalized families in a system of care. The I-TEAM is also designed as an intervention-agnostic implementation toolkit that would be generalizable across other population or systems.

Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06080087. Registered 10/11/2023, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06080087?cond=autism&term=implementation%20toolkit&rank=1

Contributions to the Literature

This study proposes to develop the first implementation toolkit to enhance cultural responsiveness in providers’ EBP delivery within a publicly funded system of care