Addiction Technology Transfer Center Research Articles

Education Resources Needed to Support the Teaching of Evidence-Based Practices

ABSTRACT The Northwest Frontier Addiction Technology Transfer Center surveyed addiction educators, providers and policy makers in Northwest states and Hawaii to define teaching resources and barriers in the teaching of evidence-based practices for the preparation of addiction professionals. The top three teaching resource needs were example student learning activities that support building competencies, science to service trends, and teaching tools that support class and field learning. Educators face three main challenges in teaching evidence-based practices: keeping current with emerging evidence-based practices, defining effective ways to teach these practices, and keeping current with the changes that emerging practices have on credentialing requirements and counselor scope of practice. Providers, educators and policy makers believed they could expand their collaboration to enhance student-learning experiences in addiction education programs. The article discusses concerns and solutions that impact the preparation of addiction professionals in a rapidly changing field.

Blending addiction research and practice: Strategies for technology transfer

Consistent with traditional conceptions of technology transfer, efforts to translate substance abuse and addiction research into treatment practice have typically relied on the passive dissemination of research findings. The large gap between addiction research and practice, however, indicates that there are many barriers to successful technology transfer and that dissemination alone is not sufficient to produce lasting changes in addiction treatment. To accelerate the translation of research into practice, the National Institute on Drug Abuse launched the Blending Initiative in 2001. In part a collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Center for Substance Abuse Treatment's Addiction Technology Transfer Center program, this initiative aims to improve the development, effectiveness, and usability of evidence-based practices and reduce the obstacles to their timely adoption and implementation.

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

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.

Influence of organizational functioning on client engagement in treatment

This study focused on the relationship between organizational functioning factors measured in a staff survey using the Texas Christian University (TCU) Organizational Readiness for Change assessment and client-level engagement measured by the TCU Client Evaluation of Self and Treatment in drug treatment programs. The sample consisted of 531 clinical and counseling staff and 3,475 clients from 163 substance abuse treatment programs located in nine states from three regional Addiction Technology Transfer Centers. Measures of client engagement in treatment (rapport, satisfaction, and participation) were shown to be higher in programs with more positive staff ratings of organizational functioning. In particular, these programs had fewer agency needs and more favorable ratings for their resources, staff attributes, and climate. These findings help establish the importance of addressing organizational factors as part of an overall strategy for improving treatment effectiveness.

NEWS AND NOTES

NEWS AND NOTES

Training rural practitioners to use buprenorphine: Using The Change Book to facilitate technology transfer

The Opiate Medication Initiative for Rural Oregon Residents trained physicians and counselors in Central and Southwestern Oregon to use buprenorphine and develop service models that supported patient participation in drug abuse counseling. The Change Book from Addiction Technology Transfer Centers was used to structure the change process. Fifty-one individuals (17 physicians, 4 pharmacists, 2 nurse practitioners, and 28 drug abuse counselors and administrators) from seven counties completed the training and contributed to the development of community treatment protocols. A pre-post measure of attitudes and beliefs toward the use of buprenorphine suggested significant improvements in attitude after training, especially among counselors. Eight months after training, 10 of 17 physicians trained had received waivers to use buprenorphine and 29 patients were in treatment with six of the physicians. The Change Book facilitated development of county change teams and structured the planning efforts. The initiative also demonstrated the potential to concurrently train physicians, pharmacists, and counselors on the use of buprenorphine.

News and Notes: 2

News and Notes: 2

A qualitative study of the treatment improvement protocols (TIPs): An assessment of the use of TIPs by individuals affiliated with the Addiction Technology Transfer Centers (ATTCs)

This article focuses on the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment's (CSAT) Addiction Technology Transfer Centers (ATTCs) as a means of diffusion of innovations. This qualitative study was designed to determine how ATTC curriculum developers, faculty, and trainers incorporated treatment improvement protocols (TIPs) and other CSAT products into curriculum development and/or the delivery of trainings. The results of this study show that CSAT is at the forefront of providing resources to the substance abuse treatment field. While the majority of the comments were positive, suggestions for improving the development and dissemination of CSAT products are offered. Also included is a discussion of how government agencies and community-based organizations can facilitate adoption of best practices and provide enhanced services.