Training substance abuse treatment organizations to adopt evidence-based practices: The Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England Science to Service Laboratory

Abstract

Underutilization of evidence-based treatments for substance abuse represents a longstanding problem for the field and the public health of our nation. Those who would most benefit from research advances (community treatment agencies and the clients they serve) have historically been the least likely to be exposed to innovative evidence-based methods for substance abuse treatment. To help address this gap, the Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England (ATTC-NE), located at Brown University, has adapted and implemented an organizational change strategy intended to equip substance abuse treatment organizations and their employees with the skills needed to adopt evidence-based treatment practices. Since 2003, the ATTC-NE has worked with 54 community-based substance abuse treatment agencies from across New England using this model, which is called Science to Service Laboratory (SSL). Twenty-eight of 54 agencies completed all of the SSL components, and 26 of these 28 completer agencies (96%) successfully adopted and implemented contingency management as a result. Survey data comparing completer and dropout agencies' satisfaction with the quality, organization, and utility of the SSL indicate that both groups rated the SSL favorably. However, differences emerged with respect to organizational characteristics between completer and dropout agencies. Specifically, dropout agencies were more likely to report turnover in staff positions vital to training effort. Future directions for the model are discussed.