Navigating the storm: How proficient organizational culture promotes clinician retention in the shift to evidence-based practice

Objective Clinician turnover is a major concern as mental health systems and organizations invest substantial resources in the implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP). In this study, we identify malleable factors associated with reduced clinician turnover during a system-wide EBP implementation initiative. Specifically, we examine how proficient organizational culture (i.e., norms and behavioral expectations that clinicians prioritize improvement in client well-being and exhibit competence in up-to-date treatment practices), EBP implementation climate (i.e., perceptions that the organization’s policies, procedures, and practices support EBP use), and change in these organizational characteristics relate to clinician turnover during a system-wide EBP transformation. Method Data were collected from 236 clinicians in 19 mental health clinics across 3 years of a system-wide EBP implementation initiative in the City of Philadelphia. Clinicians reported on proficient organizational culture and EBP implementation climate at baseline (T ₁ ) and two-year follow-up (T ₂ ). Administrators reported on clinician turnover at three-year follow-up (T ₃ ). Hypotheses were tested via multilevel mediation analyses incorporating mixed effects logistic regression models. Results Controlling for organization size, clinician job satisfaction, attitudes towards EBP, job tenure, and age, higher levels of proficient organizational culture and improvement in proficient culture from baseline to two-year follow-up predicted reduced clinician turnover in the year following; these effects were mediated by EBP implementation climate and by improvement in EBP implementation climate, respectively. Conclusions Organizations with more proficient cultures have more supportive EBP implementation climates that predict reduced clinician turnover during system-wide EBP implementation initiatives. Strategies that target these antecedents in mental health service organizations may contribute to reduced clinician turnover.