Using NIATx Strategies to Implement Integrated Services in Routine Care

The coach will conduct a one-day on site visit and will review the walk-through and DDCAT assessment results, and help the change team design an initial change project with Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. The site visit will use a standardized agenda to ensure NIATx fidelity.

Walk-Through: Provider change teams will participate in a coach-led webinar that introduces how to conduct a NIATx walk-through from the co-occurring patient perspective and how to write up results using a standard report format. The walk-through will be conducted within two months of the initial coach site visit.

The study includes two one-day coach-led learning sessions. The learning sessions promote peer-to-peer sharing about specific goals and objectives. The agenda is tailored to specific treatment service integration issues. The first coach-led learning session teaches providers how to use NIATx process improvement strategies. Providers share walk-through results and initial change projects. Skill development activities include how to: identify change opportunities, use specific tools (e.g., flowcharting), develop PDSA cycles, effectively use data and learning successful change strategies. At the final session, providers present results, sustainment plans, and identify ways for the group to continue to interact.

A NIATx coach leads the active 12 month implementation phase. The coach works with executive directors, change leaders and teams. After the site visit, a coach will hold individual monthly coaching calls (10 hours in total), and participate in group coaching calls (2 hours in total). In the individual calls, the coach and change team review change projects; discuss successes; and identify ideas for future change projects. Group coaching calls involve change leaders from multiple providers. On these calls, change leaders will discuss common change-related issues, progress, and exchange innovative implementation strategies with their peers. These calls provide opportunities for the coach to share new strategies and discuss implementation issues such as the development of a sustain plan.

Programs in this intervention will continue with their own plans without coaching support to integrate services for individuals with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders. Once the programs in the wait-list control group receive the NIATx Strategy, they will participate in all of the interventions listed above.