FPG Action Guide Series Offers Practical Tools for Implementation Support, PADDR and Guide 7 available now
A new and growing collection of practical, research-informed resources from the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) is helping communities strengthen the way they implement evidence-based programs and practices.
Developed by implementation specialists with the Impact Center at FPG, the Implementation Capacity for Triple P (ICTP) Implementation Support Practice Action Guide Series supports communities in North Carolina and South Carolina as they work to successfully and sustainably implement the evidence-based Triple P – Positive Parenting Program system of interventions. The series is designed as a comprehensive set of guides and reference documents for current and future Triple P support partners in the Carolinas, while also offering research, practices, and lessons that can inform the implementation of other programs and practices.
FPG’s Will Aldridge, PhD, says the resources are meant to be useful well beyond one program or audience. “Whether you’re a funder, policymaker, or implementation support provider interested in Triple P or simply interested in taking this body of work and applying it to your own implementation activities, you’re going to find something useful,” Aldridge says. “Moreover, we hope you’ll keep coming back to learn more as additional guides are released.”
The series begins by grounding readers in the practices, tools, and real-world decision-making that shape effective implementation support. Two resources in particular—the Practice Activity Deep Dive Resource and Action Guide 7—offer detailed guidance for understanding what implementation support looks like in practice and how it can be applied with community-based organizations.
The Practice Activity Deep Dive Resource
The Practice Activity Deep Dive Resource (PADDR) offers a detailed look at the 50 practice activities that operationalize the 10 core practice components of the ICTP implementation support practice model. For each activity, the resource explains what the activity involves, how it contributes to intended practice outcomes or supports the use of other core practice components, when it may be most useful, and how it differs from related activities.
For implementation support practitioners and researchers focused on technical assistance, practice facilitation, change agency, knowledge translation, or related activities, PADDR provides both a practical reference and a deeper framework for reflection. It can affirm practices already in use, highlight activities that may add value in particular contexts, and support more consistent tracking of implementation support work. Taken together, the resource underscores the dynamic nature of implementation support, in which context, need, readiness, implementation stage, and other factors shape the combination of activities used in any given support interaction.
Action Guide 7: Applying the ICTP Practice Model
Building on that foundation, Action Guide 7 offers the series’ most detailed exploration of how the ICTP implementation support practice model can be applied with community-based organizations implementing programs such as Triple P. The guide describes how the model’s 10 core practice components and related practice activities are used in direct support engagements, including the combinations, patterns, and situations in which they commonly appear.
The guide begins with two core practice components that help establish a strong foundation for support: building collaborative relationships and reinforcing self-regulation of effective implementation performance. From there, it explores co-designing support plans and processes with participants, influencing behavior change at the individual and team levels, and supporting learning and improvement at organizational and systems levels. It also addresses important practice activities when transitioning out of support.
Case examples and connections to foundational elements of the ICTP practice model appear throughout Action Guide 7, along with supplemental resources that crosswalk improvement science methods, adult learning best practices, and the ICTP model. For readers seeking an in-depth “how to” for implementation support practice—or looking to generate new research questions about effective implementation support—Action Guide 7 serves as a comprehensive starting point.
Together, PADDR and Action Guide 7 offer a strong entry into the ICTP Action Guide Series, translating years of implementation support experience into practical resources for partners, practitioners, researchers, and decision-makers. As a collection, these guides offer new ways to strengthen implementation capacity, support effective practice, and improve outcomes for children and families. In case you missed the earlier releases, take a look at the previous web stories listed below and be sure to check back for information on the release of Action Guides 8 and 9, coming soon.
