How does NIDA ensure its research findings are used by treatment providers?
NIDA partners with other NIH Institutes, Federal agencies, and community and professional organizations to bring research findings to community and other treatment settings. In a landmark initiative begun in 2001, NIDA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) developed what has come to be known as the Blending Initiative. This involves an interagency agreement designed to meld science and practice by encouraging the use of current evidence-based treatment interventions by professionals in the drug abuse treatment field. “Blending Teams,” comprising NIDA researchers and staff from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment s (CSAT S) Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network are charged with disseminating research results for adoption and implementation in practice settings. Specifically, each team develops a strategic dissemination plan for introducing particular research findings using a number of different mechanisms such as trainings, self-s
