What Are the Ideal Characteristics of Empirically Supported Treatment Adopters?

There has been a clear and consistent shift in social work practice from offering treatment as usual to implementing empirically supported treatments (ESTs). As social work researchers and practitioners continue to evaluate the effectiveness of ESTs, their impact on clinical outcomes, and the various obstacles to their adoption, a developing literature could offer some guidance on characteristics of EST adopters. This article provides a beginning discussion of the ideal characteristics of EST adopters both at the organizational and individual levels. While this is a developing area of study, there are some important findings that could better serve community-based organizations, their work force, and the communities they serve.