The disturbing outbreak of measles in the United States and climate change share a common enemy: The unwillingness of some decision-makers to examine and accept scientific evidence. In the case of measles, the decision-makers we’re talking about are parents who opt out of vaccinations for their children. In the case of climate change, the decision-makers are those members of Congress who reject action to lower the level of greenhouse gases that are heating up the planet. To best deal with societal problems, it’s time for our nation to fully embrace “evidence-based practices,” meaning they have been established as effective via scientific analyses.
The current use of such practices in the social services is a good model to explore and be applied to all our ills. There is a growing, bipartisan trend in both Congress and federal agencies to promote social services programs that have been proven to work. This approach is also appealing across both parties because it strives for accountability – not wasting government money on ineffective programs.
Movement toward this approach is happening on several fronts.
- Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) introduced a bill for an evidence-based policymaking commission emphasizing the need to gather data to evaluate federal programs.
- Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate for Social Impact Bonds, where private investors’ money leads to a pay-off later if the programs save the government money. The intention is to promote investment in effective programs.
- A reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act was recently re-introduced, in a bipartisan vote, to stress more accountability and evidence-based programs.
- The White House and Office of Management and Budget have directed federal agencies to base more of their work on what has been validated by scientific means.