What are the ideal characteristics of empirically supported treatment adopters?

There has been a clear and consistent shift in social work practice from offering treatment as usual to implementing empirically supported treatments (ESTs). As social work researchers and practitioners continue to evaluate the effectiveness of ESTs, their impact on clinical outcomes, and the various obstacles to their adoption, a developing literature could offer some guidance on characteristics of EST adopters. This paper provides a beginning discussion of the ideal characteristics of EST adopters both at the organizational and individual-levels. While this is a developing area of study, there are some important findings that could better serve community-based organizations, its work force, and the communities they serve

Motivational Interviewing: Does it Increase Clients’ Retention in Intensive Outpatient Treatment?

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a clinical technique that has received considerable attention in the addictions arena over the past decade. In the present pilot study, the impact of providing up to five MI sessions during the first two weeks of intensive outpatient treatment (IOP), relative to the treatment as usual was addressed. The participants were 106 IOP patients, and a post-test design was utilized. Results showed that adding MI sessions during the first two weeks of IOP did not increase the number of days in treatment nor was there an increase in treatment completion. It is possible that the MI sessions by themselves were not sufficient to offset factors that were contributing to less than optimal treatment involvement

Factors influencing the implementation of a brief alcohol screening and educational intervention in social settings not specializing in addiction services

Although alcohol use continues to be a major problem, when high-risk users enter social services, they are not provided with empirically supported treatments (ESTs). This study investigates predictors of successful implementation in agencies not specializing in addiction services. Fifty-four frontline workers in six organizations were enrolled in the study. After completing self-administered surveys of organizational culture and climate and attitudes toward ESTs, workers were trained to implement a brief intervention. The results indicate that organizational factors and attitudes may not be related to implementation. Although high implementers had similar traits, further research is needed to characterize successful EST implementers

Beliefs and Behaviors Regarding Substance Use and HIV Risk among Men Who have Sex with Men (MSM) in a Mid-Sized U.S. Community

This paper explores the beliefs and behaviors surrounding substance use and HIV risk among a convenience sample of 98 MSM in a mid-size community located in the central U.S. Several interesting patterns were identified in the descriptive analyses. Multivariate analysis identified two variables, belief that recreational drug use made sexual experiences better and reports that most MSM friends drank alcohol or took recreational drugs that were significant predictors of engagement in substance using behavior. Models accounted for 24% of the variance in drinking behavior and 15% of the variance in drug using behavior. Suggestions for HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention and implications for future research are suggested

Is Openness to Using Empirically Supported Treatments Related to Organizational Culture and Climate?

An established literature indicates that organizational factors such as culture and climate can impede the implementation of empirically supported treatments (ESTs) in real world practice. What remains unclear is whether certain worker attitudes create barriers to implementing ESTs and how these attitudes might impact the working culture and climate within an organization. The overall purpose of this study is to investigate workers’ openness towards implementing a new EST and whether the workers’ openness scores relate to their workplace culture and climate scores. Participants in this study (N=1273) worked in a total of 55 different programs in a large child and family services organization. Participants completed an organizational culture and climates survey and a survey measuring their attitudes toward ESTs. Results indicate that work groups that measure themselves as being more open to using ESTs rated their organizational cultures as being significantly more proficient and significantly less resistant to change. Further, they rated their organizational climates as being significantly more functional and less stressed. Work groups with open attitudes towards using ESTs create a culture and climate that also foster using ESTs. With ESTs becoming the gold standard for professional social work practices, it is important to have accessible pathways to EST implementation

Empirically Supported Treatments Impact on Organizational Culture and Climate

Objectives: With the continued push to implement empirically supported treatments (ESTs) into community based organizations, it is important to investigate whether working condition disruptions occur during this process. While there are many studies investigating best practices and how to adopt them, the literature lacks studies investigating the working conditions in programs that currently use ESTs. Methods: This study compared the culture and climate scores of a large organization’s programs that use ESTs and those programs indicating no EST usage. Results: Of the total 55 different programs (1,273 front-line workers), 27 programs used ESTs. Results indicate that the programs offering an EST had significantly more rigid and resistant cultures, compared to those without any ESTs. In regard to climate, programs offering an EST were significantly less engaged, less functional, and more stressed. Conclusion: Outcomes indicate a significant disruption in organizational culture and climate for programs offering ESTs

Factors Influencing Worker Morale: Evaluating Provider Demographics, Workplace Environment and Using ESTs

Objectives: Mental health organizations are strongly encouraged to implement empirically supported treatments (ESTs), however little is known about their working environments. The present study investigated how provider demographics, workplace environment and whether ESTs were used affected the worker morale. Methods: Front-line workers (N = 1,273) from 55 different programs in a single, large organization completed a measure of organizational culture and climate (OCC) and worker morale. A multilevel regression analysis used worker demographics to predict worker morale at level 1 and EST use and OCC scales to predict program level worker morale. Results: Worker morale was significantly negatively correlated with EST use and significantly correlated with OCC dimensions. Regression results showed that culture and climate but not EST use predicted morale. Conclusions: Although EST use by programs in this agency had negative effects on both morale and OCC, separately, the effect on morale was subsumed by the effect on OCC

Do Organizational Culture and Climate Matter for Successful Client Outcomes?

Objectives: The existing literature on the impact of workplace conditions on client care suggests that good cultures and climates provide the best outcomes for clients. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between organizational culture and climate and the proportion of children and youth successfully discharged from a large organization in New York State. Method: Thirty-three child and youth programs with existing culture and climate data evaluated outcome information from 1,336 clients exiting its services. Results: Programs reported as having bad culture and climate yielded superior client outcomes, measured as discharge to a lower level of care and successfully completing. Conclusion: This study and its conclusion point to a gap in knowledge concerning the relation between workplace culture and climate and the impact on client care and workers’ perceptions; this warrants further investigation in similar studies of agencies and their outcomes

Prevalence, Nature, Context and Impact of Alcohol Use in India: Recommendations for Practice and Research

Presently alcohol policy in India takes a moral stand rather than a scientific approach towards understanding and dealing with the problem of alcoholism. To effectively address this social problem in India, public policy must take into account the nature, extent of the problem and the context in which it occurs. This literature review examines the nature, prevalence and impact of alcohol use and misuse in India, within its historical and cultural contexts, as a beginning step to inform policy. Recommendations for practice and future research directions are suggested

Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention as Standard Practice in Indian Country

Alcohol use and the resulting problems associated with high-risk drinking in the American Indian/Native Alaskan (AI/NA) population are well-documented, as alcohol misuse has taken an incredible toll on many AI/NA communities. Presently, both overall health issues and alcohol use occur disproportionately within this population. This article provides an updated overview of the impact of alcohol use in the United States and within AI/NA communities specifically. It also provides recommendations for an alcohol-related screening and brief intervention instrument that social workers can begin using in their practice and can be utilized within the AI/NA community