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MISSION STATEMENT and STRATEGIC PLAN

MISSION STATEMENT

The Society for Prevention Research is an organization dedicated to advancing scientific investigation on the etiology and prevention of social, physical and mental health, and academic problems and on the translation of that information to promote health and well being. The multi-disciplinary membership of SPR is international and includes scientists, practitioners, advocates, administrators, and policy makers who value the conduct and dissemination of prevention science worldwide.

SPR is updating its Strategic Plan, and we welcome your input on the future directions of the organization!

Strategic Plan, 2016 (download)

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Goal 1: Promote etiological and program development research and research on existing and emerging public health and well‐being problems; SPR will promote high quality research to develop a better understanding of developmental etiology and current societal trends and issues.

Goal 2: Promote High‐Quality Prevention Science as integral to health care, social services, and education and toward national level system of EBP based prevention; SPR will promote the highest quality science needed to effectively scale up EBPs (evidence based programs, practices and policies) by encouraging:

  • The development of methodologies (including e.g., systems science, adaptive/optimized interventions, etc.) to identify the effective ingredients of EBPs. This science is needed to guide decisions about how and whether to modify EBPs in different settings, modalities, populations, and historical conditions necessary for scaling.
  • Research on system characteristics that facilitate or undermine the adoption, implementation, and sustainability of EBPs in communities, and the development and testing of theories to understand these complex systems.
  • Research on different models for supporting the translation of EBPs into practice (e.g., prevention infrastructure, partnership models, models to support constant improvement of community outcomes, etc.).
  • Research on the use of technologies to enhance reach, fidelity, adaptation, and effectiveness of preventive interventions.
  • Research on system outcomes of attempts to scale‐up EBPs.
  • SPR will promote research to expand the cadre of EBPs with stronger, more replicable effects and that hold promise for scale‐up.
  • Promote education, training, and mentoring opportunities to scale up evidence based policies, practices and programs for the current and next generation of prevention scientists.

Goal 3: Influence Prevention Policy; SPR will influence policy through promoting and supporting research on the use of prevention science in public policy and service systems at the national and local levels (e.g., through health, education, child welfare, justice, drug and alcohol, mental health, welfare). SPR will develop new and leverage existing partnerships to advance prevention science and its use in informing policy.

Goal 4: Promote prevention research to reduce disparities and inequality; SPR will increase transdisciplinary innovation and relevance of developmental etiology and preventive intervention to understudied populations, inequality, and social justice and focus the science of prevention on issues of disparity and inequality.

Goal 5: Communications; SPR will enhance and modernize its communication with members, prevention researchers, policy makers and the public.

Goal 6: Diversity; SPR will increase the diversity of its membership (in regards to race, age, gender, country of origin, career stage, disciplinary background, methods used, substantive topics covered and subjects of intervention).