By Benjamin Chambers, December 17 2009
Five Mini-Guides to Improve Your Substance Abuse Treatment Program
Want to improve the quality, effectiveness, or sustainability of your adolescent substance abuse treatment program? T.A. "packages" from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) can help. (They apply to adult treatment programs, as well.) Two of the packages have been out for a while, but three new ones have just come out.
Not Just for Grantees
Now, when I first saw the announcement about these packages, I made a few assumptions that turned out to be incorrect:
- You don't have to be a grantee to get the benefit of these packages.
- "Package" -- which I took to mean a combination of services and materials -- actually means "pamphlet" or "mini-guide". These are short PDF documents you can download and scan very quickly (though don't get me wrong: they're packed with info).
- You don't have to collect Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) data to use them, though it helps.
The Five Handy "Packages"
In short, every substance abuse provider would do well to review these and choose one to work through. Here's the three new ones:
- “Using Data to Improve Service Delivery” is designed to help program leaders use performance and outcome data to identify areas for improvement, motivate staff, and inform program decisions. This TA Package includes a two-page summary of suggested ways to use data to improve service delivery as well as tips for presenting outcome data.
- “Using Employment and Education Data to Enhance Services and Outcomes” illustrates how to use data on employment and education outcome measures to identify opportunities for program changes, to implement program changes, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these changes. This TA package includes a one-page summary of ways to use employment and education outcome data to enhance clinical treatment and organizational performance.
- “Improving Follow-Up Rates: Converting Resistant Clients” was designed to help treatment program staff enhance their ability to conduct follow-up interviews with clients who are resistant or refuse to participate in these important events. This TA Package includes practical suggestions and strategies with sample dialogue to illustrate suggestions for staff members working with clients who are resistant or refuse to complete follow-up interviews.
And, there's two older T.A. packages -- their titles describe them accurately:
- “Using Data to Market Your Program”
- “Developing and Implementing Continuous Quality Improvement for Treatment Programs”
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(Photo by lumaxart.)
Updated: February 08 2018