New York State Practice Improvement Collaborative

MISSION

The New York State Practice Improvement Collaborative (NYS-PIC) is a statewide advisory consortium of policymakers, researchers, recovery community members, and provider groups. Its task is to develop a set of processes and products that will serve to promote the interaction of the four communities in a common effort to improve clinical practice through the adoption of research. The co-founders of the PIC are two statewide organizations: the Single State Authority for alcohol and substance abuse services (New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, OASAS) and the statewide provider organization (Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers of New York, ASAP).

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

• Three State Agencies (OASAS, Department of Health, Office of Mental Health)
• Six research institutes (Addiction Research and Treatment Corporation, Beth Israel Medical Center, The Center for Study of Issues in Public Health, National Development and Research Institute, Research Institute on Addictions, and University at Buffalo School of Social Work)
• Other relevant stakeholder organizations (Institute for Professional Development in the Addictions, and Northeastern States Addiction Technology Transfer Center)
• Seven regional practice networks
• Statewide provider organization, ASAP

GOVERNANCE

The Project Management Team for the PIC, consisting of representatives from both OASAS and ASAP, meets weekly for 2 hours to oversee the implementation of all grant activities. In addition, the Statewide PRC Advisory Consortium and its three standing committees (Membership, Research Application, and Grants Development) also meet quarterly. Also, each of the Practice/Research Networks (PRNs) meets quarterly, with 30 regional PRN meetings held to date.

STAKEHOLDER EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT

The NYS-PIC has hosted a practice/research seminar on the "Impact of Welfare Reform on Substance-Abusing Women" and has organized a consumer focus group/seminar on how to be an effective consumer of research. The PIC also held a satellite teleconference on hepatitis C virus and HIV issues of individuals in substance abuse treatment. In addition, the NYS-PIC maintains a website, listserv, and Internet-based curriculum to assist providers in applying evidence-based practices.

PRACTICE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES

• Standardized traumatic brain injury screening among addictions clients
• Mental health screening in substance abuse programs
• American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) level of care criteria

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

• Train practitioners in use of a standardized screening instrument for traumatic brain injury
• Train providers in the PRNs in use of ASAM criteria
• Use opinion leaders to train addictions counselors in the use of mental health screening
• Use opinion leaders to train addictions counselors in the use of mental health screening

EVALUATION ACTIVITIES

• Evaluate a "train the trainers approach" to screening for traumatic brain injury among new admissions to substance abuse treatment programs
• Compare the effectiveness of the standard versus enhanced/opinion leader approach to mental health screening in addictions programs
• Evaluate the implementation and adoption of ASAM level of care criteria
• Assess organizational readiness to implement evidence-based treatment protocols

CONTACT INFORMATION