ATTC Releases the Results of Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of the Addiction Treatment Profession

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The Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network has released the results of its 2011-2012 study that looked at the workforce that serves individuals with substance use disorder (SUDs).

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What Did They Find?

  • Demographics of workers still don't match those of clients:
    • ​The workforce is made up of predominantly white women.
    • Clinical Directors are mostly middle-aged and have been in the field for an average of 17 years.
    • Direct care staff are somewhat younger, and most are currently licensed/certified or are seeking licensure/certification.
    • Slightly less than 1/3 of direct care staff are in recovery (estimated).
  • Training happens, but varies widely based on funding:
    • New employee orientation, ongoing training, and direct supervision​ are the most common types of training offered.
    • The majority of survey responents reported that staff at their facility had been trained in both culturally responsive and gender responsive SUD treatment.
    • Clinical directors reported that limited funding can often hinder a facility’s ability to provide ongoing education.
  • Recruitment and Retention continue to be significant challenges:
    • Recruitment is a challenge mostly due to an insufficient number of applicants who meet minimum qualifications.
    • Some of the most successful retention strategies employed by treatment facilities include the provision of healthcare benefits, implementation of a supportive culture, and access to ongoing training.
    • The average staff turnover rate is 18.5%.
    • Only half of the clinical directors surveyed reported satisfaction with their income.
  • Six mega-trends will affect the SUD treatment workforce over the next five years:;
1. Macro-level changes to healthcare and treatment delivery;
2. A push for enhanced pre-service training, professional development, and uniform credentialing;
3. Increased use of evidence-based and recovery-oriented methods of SUD treatment targeted for a
changing client population and emerging drugs of abuse;
4. Workforce recruitment and retention efforts;
5. The recognition of substance use disorders as a valid health issue;
6. Implementation and use of health information technology.

 

From the Executive Summary:

Since 2007, national reports sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) have repeatedly identified a lack of nationally representative data describing the specialty workforce that serves individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) (SAMHSA, 2006; Annapolis Coalition, 2007). These reports suggest that the dearth of nationally representative data negatively impacts the ability of SAMHSA and other federal agencies to institute meaningful workforce development programs for SUD professionals. In response, SAMHSA instructed the Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network to carry out a national workforce study.

The purpose of the study is to inform the development of strategies to successfully prepare, recruit and retain a sufficient number of professionals able to effectively care for individuals with SUDs. This report presents the findings of the ATTC Network’s national study, Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of the Addiction Treatment Profession.

Although SAMHSA is the primary audience for the study’s findings, the ATTC Network expects that comprehensive, nationally representative data about the specialty SUD treatment workforce will be useful to Single State Agencies, provider and professional organizations, training and education entities, individuals in the workforce, and other stakeholders.