Partnerships and pathways of dissemination: The National Institute on Drug Abuse – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Blending Initiative in the Clinical Trials Network.

Since 2001, the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) has worked to put the results of its trials into the hands of community treatment programs, in large part through its participation in the National Institute on Drug Abuse – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Blending Initiative and its close involvement with the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment’s Addiction Technology Transfer Centers. This article describes (a) the CTN’s integral role in the Blending Initiative, (b) key partnerships and dissemination pathways through which the results of CTN trials are developed into blending products and then transferred to community treatment programs, and (c) three blending initiatives involving buprenorphine, motivational incentives, and motivational interviewing. The Blending Initiative has resulted in high utilization of its products, preparation of more than 200 regional trainers, widespread training of service providers in most U.S. States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and movement toward the development of Web-based implementation supports and technical assistance. Implications for future directions of the Blending Initiative and opportunities for research are discussed. In the future, NIDA plans to convene a Blending Initiative Task Force composed of researchers, community treatment providers, CTN and ATTC technology transfer experts, and NIDA and SAMHSA staff to serve as advisors to the Blending Initiative. This task force will meet regularly to identify research for potential Blending Initiative products, such as computer-based behavioral treatment approaches as well as recommend potential dissemination strategies and implementation supports.

Related protocols: CTN-0001, CTN-0002, CTN-0005, CTN-0006, CTN-0007, CTN-0010