NIATx (formerly the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment) provides coaching for programs in how to make change in a number of areas. There are several avenues to connect with coaching.
There are several trained NIATx coaches in MA; there are also numerous people who can volunteer as peer mentors (someone esle who has expertise with the change you are making). Cost structures vary. For more information, contact Jen Parks, Assistant Director for Workforce and Provider Supports at the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services.
The Bureau of Substance Addiction Services also has run free collaborative calls on workforce development, client retention and NIATx Fundamentals. For more information, contact Jen Parks, Assistant Director for Workforce and Provider Supports at the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services.
Contact NIATx at info@niatx.net (or the contact below) for to schedule a telephone discussion of what you need and where you are in the change process. This call can
- help you assess and access coaching that will meet your needs. A contract is written through NIATx or the NIATx Foundation, although some coaches contract directly as well. Technical assistance can be provided in person or via telephone and webinar coaching.
- help you locate NIATx website resources or a webinar tutorial
- pair you with a peer mentor - someone else who has expertise with the change you are making
- help you work through your issues on an ad hoc basis.
One treatment provider in MA dedicated a limited amount of money to contracting with NIATx coaches to support a small Learning Collaborative. This Collaborative involved NIATx coaches and a number of the provider's locations, utilizing NIATx process improvement principles with a goal of improving access, increasing retention, and enhancing the agency's bottom line. The Collaborative utilized site visits, conference calls, webinars, and monthly check-in phone calls to help the agency move forward on a variety of self-defined change projects.
The Collaborative was supported in part by BSAS but was primarily funded through the treatment agency's funds. Coaching contributed to a streamlined focus on desired changes, with a combination of senior management agency support and focused coaching emphasizing progress toward rapid cycle change process goals. The range of support resources on the NITAx website helped to support the work of this Collaborative. Furthermore, NIATx resources were used in a number of ways, with previous NIATx Plan-Do-Study-Act change projects serving as templates and guidelines for some of the current changes being made.
For Massachusetts:
Jen Parks, Assistant Director for Workforce and Provider Support, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, MA DPH
NIATx:
OR
Amy McIlvaine
Educational Services Director
NIATx
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Mechanical Engineering Room 4121B
1513 University Ave.
Madison, WI 53706
amy.mcilvaine@chess.wisc.edu
608-262-5999 office