The development and early success of the South Carolina two-generation community of practice to support family-serving professionals.

Abstract

Introduction: System-level initiatives are key to promoting health and well-being among young families, yet agencies and organizations who support those families often do not coordinate their delivery of supportive services and resources. We describe the South Carolina (SC) two-generation (2Gen) community of practice (CoP) and its early efforts to foster statewide adoption of "whole family" centered approaches.

Method: This mixed-methods study evaluated the impact of the CoP. Quantitative data were gathered from CoP participants to assess its impact on their increased knowledge and use of the 2Gen approach, as well as on new peer connections and individual professional development. Qualitative data were gathered on the perceived value of the CoP, as well as opportunities for growth.

Results: Data indicate that SC 2Gen CoP meetings have been well received by participants. Data from meeting evaluations demonstrate that the information increased participants' knowledge on the 2Gen approach and that it contributed to their growth and professional development. Meetings have also been effective in promoting connections between like-minded professionals, as well as in providing useful information to integrate 2Gen approaches into their work.

Discussion: These early findings demonstrate the continued need for the SC 2Gen CoP and its potential to grow into a robust outlet to support family-serving professionals in SC. More efforts are needed to promote systems coordination and integration among family-serving professionals. CoPs are one way to integrate system-level strategies, such as the 2Gen approach, to support family-serving professionals and enhance the integration of resources provided to families. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).