Practice, Policy & Research Triangle

Practice should influence research and policies:

• Practitioners and clients should give voice to their needs and strengths.  Researchers need to listen.  In this way, important research problems and questions are addressed.  That is, research is conducted that makes a difference in people's lives.  
• Practitioners and clients should also give voice to their needs and proposed solutions by participating in the political process - at the agency level, as well as local, state and federal levels. Policymakers need to listen.

Policy dictates or influences practice and research:

• Policies set the parameters, provide funding and regulations for how we conduct our direct practice work.
• Policies also dictate what type of research gets funded.

Research influences or should influence policies and practice:  

• Policies should be based on the best science available in addition to meeting the needs of constituents.
• Practice should also be based on the best science available as well as integrating practitioner experience/wisdom and community/client values.

It is high time that the severed parts work as a whole system.