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Purpose: In 2017–2018, the state of Victoria, Australia, initiated the implementation of five family and parenting programs within family services. Three—SafeCare®, Functional Family Therapy-Child Welfare®, and Multisystemic Therapy-Psychiatric®—originated in the United States and were supported through overseas intermediary or purveyor organizations (IPOs). This study examines the challenges and barriers faced by service agencies and their staff during the initial implementation of these three research-supported interventions (RSIs). Method: Qualitative data collected among a purposive sample of implementers selected across provider agencies and IPOs were analyzed. Results: IPOs' implementation specialists used a similarly composed sample of N = 31.2 implementation strategies. The early implementation stage was fragile and characterized by three distinct phases. Primary implementation challenges existed in the inner setting, intervention, and individual characteristics. Discussion: To balance the fragility of early implementation and sustain RSI implementation, it is important to immediately supplement overseas IPO support with strong local implementation capacities.

Background: In the Australian state of New South Wales nearly 60,000 approved applicants are waiting for social housing. Future Directions for Social Housing is a response to this challenge. This collection of housing programs aims to provide more social housing, support and incentives for leaving social housing and a better social housing experience. This document presents the protocol of the evaluation of these programs and the overarching Future Directions Strategy. Methods/Design: The evaluation will use a Type 1 effectiveness-implementation hybrid design, with an integrated, dual focus on assessing the effectiveness of Future Directions and better understanding the context for reform implementation. Program effectiveness will be examined using quasi-experimental techniques applied to linked administrative data. The implementation context will be examined via program level data, qualitative interviews and focus groups with stakeholders and tenants. Some quantitative survey and administrative data will also be used. Findings from the implementation evaluation will be used to inform and interpret the effectiveness evaluation. Economic evaluations will also be conducted. Discussion: This methodology will produce a high-quality evaluation of a large, complex government program which aims to facilitate rapid translational gains, real-time adoption of effective implementation strategies and generate actionable insights for policymakers.