This plenary presentation was made at the Child Welfare League of America's June 2001 National Conference on Research in Child Welfare "Using Research and Technology for Excellence in Policy and Practice." The presentation addresses three broad areas: 1) the need for and advantages of building an evidence base in child welfare, 2) the critical methodological challenges of building such an evidence base, and 3) and a framework that has been adapted, on an interim basis, for discussing the reauthorization of the Safe and Stable Families Program. The conference was held in Denver.