The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has unveiled two new products
to help drug-treatment clinicians team up with the agency to more quickly
incorporate—or "blend"—cutting-edge, science-based
interventions into clinical practice.
The two products are "Motivational Interviewing Assessment:
Supervisory Tools for Enhancing Proficiency" (MIA: STEP) and"
Promoting Awareness of Motivational Incentives" (PAMI).
MIA:STEP is designed for clinical supervisors to train front-line treatment
providers to improve their motivational interviewing skills. It includes a new
package treatment instrument to help providers better engage their patients
and retain them in treatment.
PAMI includes tools providing information about science-based
drug-treatment interventions called motivational incentives. NIDA explains
that these incentives include vouchers, prizes, privileges, and other low- or
no-cost positive reinforcements and describes the most therapeutic way to use
them to retain patients in drug-treatment programs.
The products are part of NIDA's expanding portfolio of "Blending
Teams" materials. To enhance their dissemination, NIDA is hosting a
number of conferences around the country "to facilitate communication
between researchers and treatment providers."
More information about NIDA's Blending Team products, initiatives,
and conferences can be accessed at<www.drugabuse.gov/blending/>.▪