About Us

This website is intended as a gateway to a network of websites that provide:

• scientifically sound information on healthy child development and risks and challenges to healthy development, and/or
• information on evidence-based approaches to promote healthy development among those children and families who are at risk for, or have, identified conditions

By “scientifically sound,” we mean information based on the systematic, replicable collection and analysis of data of sufficient methodological rigor and quality, with particular attention to identification and reduction of potential bias. The websites we identify here provide information about basic health and development (e.g., about developmental milestones, healthy habits, etc.), or about educational and mental/behavioral health interventions, that is scientifically sound or evidence-based. These sites, therefore, can be helpful in guiding individuals to useful information for understanding typical development, promoting the health and well-being of children and families, or seeking professional help when appropriate.

Definitions of “evidence-based” are varied and continue to evolve. (See below for examples of current definitions and criteria.) This phrase has been used in many ways, such as to describe evidence-based interventions (i.e., interventions with documented evidence of outcomes using rigorous evaluation methods) and evidence-based rating systems (i.e., level of evidence ratings, or categorizations of interventions, based on a comprehensive review of available evidence and clear, scientifically sound rating criteria and review processes). Both of these types of information can inform evidence-based practice, which has been defined for health professionals as “…the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of the individual patient. It means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research” (Sackett, et al., 1996). In psychology practice, evidence-based practice has been defined as “the integration of best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences”. Similar definitions exist in education as well, requiring educators to use both their own expertise and the best available research in supporting the development of students and teachers. Across domains, scientifically sound, evidence-based approaches differ in clear and important ways from practices developed, sold, or promoted without meeting these criteria.

Websites and organizations often differ in their criteria for being scientifically sound or evidence-based. We do not provide specific definitions or criteria here. Rather, we provide links to websites that are transparent about how their posted information was developed, and/or how the accuracy and objectivity of the information can be confirmed. Readers are encouraged to refer to the standards and guidelines for how any site determines what information to post.

Review Process

The site is updated quarterly. Nominated websites are independently reviewed by at least two members of the Advisory Board to assess appropriateness for inclusion, based on indicators that the website has procedures in place to ensure information and practices shared are scientifically sound, evidence-based, and free of commercial influence. Such indicators include, but are not limited to:

• Federal, state or local government (“.gov”) sites with known clearance processes meeting the standards above
• Professional organization sites with a published code of ethics and research standards in line with that of the American Psychological Association http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/
• Stated aims of the website to provide accurate, impartial, science- or evidence-based information
• A formal editorial policy outlining the website’s procedures to ensure credible information
• At the time of review, content appears to be current and updated regularly as befits the type of information presented
• Specific procedures to reduce bias were undertaken, such as:
  • External expert review of website content
  • Vetted review of externally submitted scientific content
  • Reserving the right to review, monitor and/or edit publicly submitted content
  • Having a medical or scientific advisory board to include independently employed professionals
  • Reserving the right to refuse content
  • Authors of particular articles or sections on the site are named, with credentials and affiliations or contact information

• Specific procedures to ensure the information is free of commercial influence are followed, such as:
  • Statements identifying and disclosing real or perceived financial conflicts of interest
  • Notification when leaving the original website and moving to a commercial website
  • Professional news staff are clearly separated from website or product sponsors
  • Not focused on promoting a single approach or intervention over other evidence-based approaches or interventions, should such alternatives be available; not devoted to commercializing or selling a particular product or approach to intervention
  • Reserving the right to refuse advertisements

• APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice (2006). Evidence-based practice in psychology. American Psychologist, 61, 271-285. Available at: http://www.apa.org/practice/resources/evidence/evidence-based-statement.pdf
• Cook, B. G., Smith, G. J., & Tankersley, M. (2012). Evidence-based practices in education. In K. R. Harris, S. Graham, & T. Urdan       (Eds.), APA educational psychology handbook, volume 1 (pp. 495–528). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Council for Exceptional Children. (2014). Council for Exceptional Children standards for evidence-based practices in special education. Retrieved from here.
• Institute of Medicine (2015). Psychosocial interventions for mental and substance use disorders: A framework for establishing evidence-based standards. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Available at http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=19013
• Puddy, R. W. & Wilkins, N. (2011). Understanding Evidence Part 1: Best available research evidence. A guide to the continuum of evidence of effectiveness. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/understanding_evidence-a.pdf
• Sackett, D. L., Rosenberg, W. M. C., Gray, J. A. M., Haynes, R. B., & Richardson, W. S. (1996). Evidence based medicine: What it is and what it isn’t. British Medical Journal, 312, 71–72.

• APA Division 53: Effective Child Therapy http://effectivechildtherapy.org/content/how-research-support-defined
• Cochrane Collaboration. Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions http://community.cochrane.org/handbook
• The Community Preventive Services Task Force: Guide to Community Preventive Services Systematic Reviews http://www.thecommunityguide.org/about/methods.html
• University of Colorado Boulder: Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development http://www.blueprintsprograms.com/programCriteria.php
• US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences: What Works Clearinghouse. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/reference_resources/wwc_procedures_v3_0_standards_handbook.pdf
• US Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research: Evidence-based Practice Center reviews http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/evidence-based-reports/technical/methodology/index.html
• US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/ReviewQOR.aspx
• US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Name/methods-and-processes

The design and development of the website has strived to follow recommendations for making Web content more accessible to a wide range of people with disabilities. (See the guidelines outlined by the W3C for WCAG 2.0.) Built-in Accessible elements within the Genesis WordPress framework, and WP Accessibility (WordPress plugin) along with various elements outlined below provide as much access to the website as possible.

• Use of semantic HTML structure for headings
• Add alternative text to images
• Screen reader ‘skip-links’ to let users jump directly to specific content
• Use of ARIA labels to aid screen readers