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Implementation and sustainment of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) is influenced by outer (e.g., broader environments in which organizations operate) and inner (e.g., organizations, their administrators, and staff) contexts. One important outer-context element that shapes the inner context is funding, which is complex and unpredictable. There is a dearth of knowledge on how funding arrangements affect sustainment of EBIs in human service systems and the organizations delivering them, including child welfare and behavioral health agencies. This study uses qualitative interview and focus group data with stakeholders at the system, organizational, and provider levels from 11 human service systems in two states to examine how stakeholders strategically negotiate diverse and shifting funding arrangements over time. Study findings indicate that, while diverse funding streams may contribute to flexibility of organizations and possible transformations in the human service delivery environment, a dedicated funding source for EBIs is crucial to their successful implementation and sustainment.

Many efforts to implement evidence-based programs do not reach their full potential or fail due to the variety of challenges inherent in dissemination and implementation. This article describes the use of concept mapping-a mixed method strategy-to study implementation of behavioral health innovations and evidence-based practice (EBP). The application of concept mapping to implementation research represents a practical and concise way to identify and quantify factors affecting implementation, develop conceptual models of implementation, target areas to address as part of implementation readiness and active implementation, and foster communication among stakeholders. Concept mapping is described and a case example is provided to illustrate its use in an implementation study. Implications for the use of concept mapping methods in both research and applied settings towards the dissemination and implementation of behavioral health services are discussed.