Community-Defined Evidence Project (CDEP)
Overview
The Community-Defined Evidence Project (CDEP) aims to evolve and contribute to a developing body of knowledge that takes into consideration cultural values and beliefs and indigenous knowledge to assess the results of practices and treatments for Latinos.
CDEP builds on knowledge gained from a Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health Project that investigated how the concept of cultural competence can be operationalized and implemented within systems of care to improve access to services and supports and reduce mental health disparities.
Goals
- Discover and develop a model for establishing an evidence base using cultural and/or community indices that identify community-defined and community-based practices that work.
- Document the common and unique characteristics among identified practices and outline their “essential elements” to develop criteria for Community-Defined Evidence.
- Develop a national inventory of community-based practices.
- Disseminate project findings to a wide audience of stakeholders (via issue briefs, journal articles, presentations).
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Provide training, technical assistance and consultation related to the development of Community-Defined Evidence.
Long-term Impact
- Advance the current body of knowledge for identifying practices that work to successfully improve service delivery and behavioral health outcomes for Latino populations.
- Influence the research and evaluation agenda, as well as policymakers and funding agencies, to implement and use innovative community-based practices to reduce disparities and improve availability, quality, and outcomes of behavioral health care for all individuals and families.