Implementation of Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx) processes in substance use disorder treatment centers.

Internal process improvements embedded within the Network for Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx) program are promising innovations for improving substance use disorder (SUD) treatment performance, such as engagement and retention. To date, few studies have examined the variables that may increase diffusion and implementation of NIATx innovations. This study investigates organization characteristics associated with SUD treatment center utilization of NIATx process improvements in a sample of 458 treatment programs, including programs participating in NIDA’s National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN). Overall, 19% had utilized NIATx process improvements. After statistically controlling environmental factors, five organizational variables were associated with the likelihood that treatment centers used NIATx processes. Organization size, administrative intensity, membership in a provider association, and participation in the CTN were positively associated with the odds of utilizing NIATx processes, while the association for the level of slack resources was negative.

Conclusions: From a practical perspective, this study illustrates that the willingness of treatment centers to undertake process improvements through NIATx processes can be explained to a large extent by organizational factors. Policies and related supportive efforts may be required to facilitate diffusion and implementation of NIATx processes to affect SUD treatment center performance and capacity.