Communication is Key: State-level Organizational Correlates of Readiness for Evidence-based Programming within the Cooperative Extension System

Abstract

The necessity to implement evidence-based programs to support the healthy development of youth and families is becoming part of national policy. Organizations that are not “ready” to do so will likely lose resources, disallowing them to serve as they have set out to do. Consequently, the current survey study draws from a national sample of Cooperative Extension personnel in 2009 to examine characteristics within their organizational context that facilitate successful change related to youth/family programming. Data were collected from 946 4-H/youth development or Family and Consumer Sciences employees at all levels. Self-reported indices of each state organization’s openness to change, leadership, morale, communication, and resources were constructed to assess the organizational context. Dependent variables included indicators of readiness to implement prevention and evidence-based programming. Results suggest that the organizational context was strongly associated with indicators of readiness for evidence-based prevention programming, and specifically, the clarity of communication was most important.

Keywords

• cooperative extension system
• organizational context
• culture
• systems change
• readiness
• evidence-based prevention programs
• implementation