Process and Product Innovations from a Statewide Capacity-Building Initiative for Substance Use Treatment and Recovery

Abstract

Abstract Statewide behavioral health collaborative capacity-building initiatives are designed to support substance use agencies in strengthening their behavioral health services delivery and implementing evidence-supported practices. This study explored the types of innovations resulting from one such statewide behavioral health initiative, as well as the facilitators and barriers to implementing these innovations, from the perspective of the substance use agencies involved in the initiative. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 67 agency stakeholders and 93 agency progress reports. Results indicated that 161 innovations emerged through this project for the substance use agencies, including staffing; policy, procedure, and technology; partnerships; training and media products; and service innovations. Agency facilitators included collaboration/partnership, project buy-in, and quality of agency staff. Barriers to implementation included lack of collaboration or partnerships, agency infrastructure or climate, lack of project buy-in, and funding and billing issues. The article concludes with a discussion on implications for social work practice in behavioral health.