The proposed project is designed to establish a permanent national conference that would encourage interdisciplinary research on clinical supervision through four specific aims of the study which are: 1) to review the state-of-the-art knowledge and make recommendations regarding further research in this area; 2) to increase cross-discipline collaborations on clinical supervision; 3) to identify ways to facilitate dissemination of cutting edge research and best practice models to practitioners through supervision; and 4) to provide an environment through with NIH staff and researchers can identify common goals. The authors of this proposal are the new co-editors of The Clinical Supervisor (Haworth Press), the only interdisciplinary journal on clinical supervision. Firmly committed to the strengthening of the research-to-practice connection, they recognize the need for empirically-based research in this area that includes cross-discipline collaborations. The first conference, to be held in the fall of 2004, would be invitational and would invite up to fifteen recognized leaders in clinical supervision from many of the human service professions. Six participants, one from each professional group would be asked to present a paper that summarizes the state of the research on clinical supervision in their disciplines: addresses the role of clinical supervision with a particular emphasis on strengthening the transfer of knowledge from research to practice, and identifies a research agenda for their particular disciplines and for clinical supervision as a whole. The presentations would be published as a special issue in the Journal. These individuals would also plan an annual conference in years two through five and serve as reviewers for submitted abstracts. The conference will include plenary speakers, and peer reviewed papers and posters. In addition, NIH staff would address funding research priorities and how to submit a successful application.
