1. Reduce Waiting & No-Shows  Increase Admissions & Continuation www.NIATx.net Who are We? We are: –Jefferson County, Alabama, Drug Court –Beacon Addiction Treatment Center Both affiliated with: –Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities (TASC) –University of Alabama at Birmingham Target: Drug Court clients referred to Beacon Addiction Treatment Center

2. Reduce Waiting & No-Shows  Increase Admissions & Continuation www.NIATx.net Change #1 (PLAN) To decrease wait time between Orientation for treatment and Intake/Assessment

3. Reduce Waiting & No-Shows  Increase Admissions & Continuation www.NIATx.net CHANGE #1 (DO) We changed the process of scheduling admission appointments - Prior to change: Counselors made appointments at their discretion Change: “Open clinic” schedule was developed where clients are given an appointment day and time and are assigned a counselor upon arrival

4. Reduce Waiting & No-Shows  Increase Admissions & Continuation www.NIATx.net RESULTS (STUDY) Baseline: Average number of days between orientation and admission = 12.4 Post Change: Average number of days between orientation and admission = 2.0 84% decrease in time

5. Reduce Waiting & No-Shows  Increase Admissions & Continuation www.NIATx.net NEXT STEP (ACT) In addition to favorable results directly related to the change, we had an unintended positive side effect: Increased client return rate by nine percentage points (from 76% to 85%), saving counselor time and increasing billing We adopted the change.

6. Reduce Waiting & No-Shows  Increase Admissions & Continuation www.NIATx.net IMPACT By decreasing time between orientation and assessment, we benefit more than $17,000 per year ($11,225 + $6,009) As a result we have implemented the NIATx method of Plan, Do, Study, and Act in other areas.

7. Reduce Waiting & No-Shows  Increase Admissions & Continuation www.NIATx.net Other NIATx Change Studies NIATx Change #2 Telephone Drug Court clients day before Orientation to remind them of appointment in order to increase attendance Increased “Show Up” rate by 23% (from 59% to 82%)

8. Reduce Waiting & No-Shows  Increase Admissions & Continuation www.NIATx.net NIATx Change #3 Add PAMI (Promoting Awareness of Motivational Incentives) to improve IOP treatment attendance Increased attendance in treatment group by 4%