STAR: Strengthening Access and Retention in Treatment

A joint initiative of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Paths to Recovery). STAR San Antonio was a joint application by DSHS Substance Abuse Services and the Patrician Movement in partnership with the Gulf Coast Addiction Technology Transfer Center, which will provide consultation and training for the project.

STAR goals are to increase retention, increase admissions, decrease "No Shows" and decrease waiting times for admission. Operational strategies are to implement and institutionalize effective CQI strategies at the Patrician Movement and to implement improvements in state clinical information system (BHIPS) through collaborative problem-solving by program counselors and DSHS programmers

The current focus of CQI efforts is with the Outpatient Treatment Center. An intensive meeting occurred with the DSHS Substance Abuse Services data team and members of the Patrician Movement's Change Team, in order to operationalize variables and to ensure that the BHIPS system was capable of producing appropriate reports. Following this, the Outpatient Change Team, composed of clinical staff, the Change Leader, and the OP Director made progress on many fronts. The measurements being used are 1) number of days between first contact and 1 st treatment; 2) percentage of no-shows; 3) percentage of clients continuing to 4th treatment; and finally, 4) number of admissions. Following a celebration of the Outpatient Change Team successes, a sustainability plan will be initiated, and a new change effort will begin in the Medical Detox Program.

The CQI strategies and culture continues to circulate throughout the Patrician Movement, with steady improvements on multiple levels. Simultaneously, the collaboration of the three partners about state clinical information systems issues staff continues the process of improving the BHIPS system for treatment providers across the State.

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Addiction Research Institute
Center for Social Work Research
School of Social Work
University of Texas at Austin
1717 West 6th Street, Suite 335
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 232-0616
FAX: (512) 232-0613