Action Research to Advance Drug Treatment in the CJS

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}} {\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1515;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs22 The Chesapeake CJ-DATS Center (formerly the Coordinating Center) proposes to continue as a research\par center in the next installment of the Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies. Our partners are the\par Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (federal probation and parole system), the Maryland Department of\par Public Safety and Correctional Services, and health-correctional teams in diverse settings: three jurisdictions\par in Maryland, two in Virginia, and Birmingham, Alabama. Our group reflects the heterogeneity of the justice\par system in governing authorities, populations, and settings and will provide a fertile ground to test\par implementation models. We aim to: 1) examine organizational change processes involved in adopting,\par implementing, and sustaining evidence-based treatment practices; 2) conduct rigorous multi-site\par implementation studies designed to improve continuum of care models within and across justice and health\par systems; 3) conduct research on treatment effectiveness and delivery systems in correctional settings; 4)\par examine strategies to improve workforce skill development; and 5) foster collaboration to advance\par knowledge exchange, dissemination, and utilization of research among organizations serving substance\par abusing offenders. We bring a dynamic team with expertise in justice and health systems, and extensive\par hands-on experience building organizational and systems change through research and technical assistance\par to policymakers, administrators, clinicians and counselors, supervision officers, and line staff. Our research\par concepts focus on systemic improvements, primarily in neglected community settings, through workforce skill\par enhancement and use of quality improvement processes that engage staff as agents of change. The\par proposed studies are designed to: 1) advance the use of psychometrically sound tools for screening and\par referring offenders to treatment services; 2) increase the use and effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral\par therapy for offenders through counselor skill development techniques; and 3) test strategies for HIV/STI risk\par reduction and increased testing and treatment adherence among youth and adult offenders on probation and\par parole. The goal is to help build and enable performance-driven organizational cultures that can cultivate a\par sustainable continuum of high-quality, empirically-supported services. CJ-DATS2 will provide a platform for\par understanding change processes at the individual, programmatic, organizational, and systems level.\fs20\par \par }