The ATTC/NIATx Service Improvement Blog - Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network

Sustaining Organizational Change with NIATx Tools

Published: 03/17/2025

The NIATx model is widely recognized for driving rapid-cycle improvements using the essential NIATx tools and steps for change. However, staff turnover, shifting priorities, and limited resources can all contribute to backsliding into old habits. How can organizations make sure that improvements become standard operating procedure? In this post, we’ll explore how embedding the NIATx […]

Check Out the NIATx 101: Simple Steps for Creating High-Impact Change [Flipbook]

Published: 02/05/2025

This flipbook features a compilation of published blog posts from the ATTC/NIATx Service Improvement Blog that highlights content focused on the use of NIATx principles, tools, and processes to create impactful and lasting organizational change. It also includes information on implementing the NIATx change model in new and diverse settings. By compiling the content according to these […]

How a Prevention Coalition Used NIATx to Boost Parent Participation in Prevention Efforts

Published: 01/14/2025

Prevention coalitions often face challenges engaging parents in prevention initiatives, even when those efforts address critical issues like youth substance use or mental health. Here's an example of how a fictional coalition decided to take on this challenge by using the NIATx Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) tool. The small, incremental changes they made helped to increase attendance […]

Flowcharting: The Foundation for Making Meaningful Improvements

Published: 12/10/2024

The flowchart is one of the essential tools in the NIATx model. A flowchart provides visual map of your process—it shows how things get done, step by step. You might be thinking, “Why do we need a flowchart if we already did a walk-through of the process?" If the process seems straightforward, your team might […]

Need more info on Xylazine, Nitazenes and Medetomidine? Opioid Response Network is crowdsourcing info on all three

Published: 12/02/2024

Xylazine, medetomidine and nitazines are substances that are emerging as key contributors in the latest wave of the Opioid Overdose Epidemic. Xylazine is an adulterant that increases the duration of a user’s fentanyl high and delays withdrawal to some extent. Medetomidine is another adulterant that belongs to the same family of drugs as xylazine, but […]

The Ripple Effect: How Small Changes Make a Big Impact - A Look Inside the Milwaukee Comprehensive Care Initiative (MC3) and NIATx Learning Collaborative

Published: 11/11/2024

The NIATx model was designed to be easily adopted and sustained by organizations and systems without the need for ongoing consultation or complicated processes. It's built to empower teams to identify and make small changes that lead to big improvements. Milwaukee County's behavioral health system first got involved with NIATx in 2011. Since then, NIATx […]

EmpowerED: A Process Improvement Workbook for School-Based Suicide Prevention

Published: 10/08/2024

Note: Much of the content used in this workbook was sourced from the NIATx School-Based Suicide Prevention Learning Collaborative training curriculum, which was developed by Scott Gatzke using the NIATx Change Model. What is the purpose of this workbook? Youth suicide is a significant public health issue in the United States, and schools play a crucialrole […]

Exploring HealtheKnowledge: Highlighting ATTC Network’s Online Learning Offerings for Health and Behavioral Health Professionals

Published: 08/20/2024

HealtheKnowledge is a one-stop shop for your online learning needs, with free online learning and low-cost continuing education courses for health and behavioral health professionals. A program of the UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies’ Collaborative Center to Advance Health Services, HealtheKnowledge offers over 250 public courses. Every course offers a certificate of completion […]

Quiz: How Well Do You Know NIATx?

Published: 07/16/2024

Whether you're a seasoned NIATx expert or just beginning your NIATx journey, we have a challenge for you. Take this quick quiz to find out just how well you know this evidence-based process improvement approach! Question 1:What does NIATx stand for? A) The Network for Improvement and Technical Excellence B) The Network for the […]

A NIATx Virtual Walk Through to Promote Integrated Care for Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Conditions

Published: 06/05/2024

Information provided in this post comes from technical assistance provided by the Great Lakes ATTC in Manitowoc County, WI. Providers throughout the Great Lakes region and across the county have been making steady gains toward integrated mental health and substance use care. Providers have come to understand that co-occurring conditions (COD) are more the norm […]

Flowcharting Your Breakfast: How to Find the Right Altitude

Published: 05/06/2024

The NIATx change model focuses on a sequence of four primary tools: After a walk-through, teams sometimes struggle to create a flowchart to map out the process they just examined. Whether you use a big sheet of paper and a marker, sticky notes on a dry-erase board, or any number of softwares, here are a […]

The NIATx Files: A brief history of the Nominal Group Technique

Published: 04/02/2024

The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is one of the essential tools that NIATx change teams use to implement successful change projects.

Three Ways to Sustain Change with NIATx

Published: 03/04/2024

The NIATx model is designed to help teams identify and implement a process improvement. While adopting a change is a significant accomplishment, the true test lies in maintaining that change and its positive outcomes over the long term: sustaining the change. Sustainability refers to the ability to stick with the new way of doing things and […]

ATTC's Pearls of Wisdom Podcast Series, Episode 4: The Next Decade (2023 and Beyond)

Published: 02/29/2024

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network, we're taking stock of where we've been, and looking ahead to where we are going. We invite you to listen to our Pearls of Wisdom podcast series. Each episode examines a different decade in our network's history, and features conversations with the people […]

ATTC's Pearls of Wisdom Podcast Series, Episode 3: The Previous Decade (2013-2022)

Published: 02/15/2024

New Framework Released to Reduce Opioid Overdose

Published: 02/05/2024

By: HEAL Connections The Opioid-Overdose Reduction Continuum of Care Approach (ORCCA): A Policymakers Guide to Implementing Evidence-Based Strategies that Address Opioid Overdose aims to help policymakers, communities and key stakeholders to develop comprehensive, multi-system strategies that address the opioid crisis. The science and evidence behind the framework was published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence […]

ATTC's Pearls of Wisdom Podcast Series, Episode 2: The Second Decade (2003-2012)

Published: 02/01/2024

ATTC's Pearls of Wisdom Podcast Series, Episode 1: The First Decade (1993-2003)

Published: 01/23/2024

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network, we're taking stock of where we've been, and looking ahead to where we are going. We invite you to listen to our Pearls of Wisdom podcast series. Each episode examines a different decade in our network's history, and features conversations with the people […]

NIATx: The Intersection of Behavioral Health and Systems Engineering — A Conversation with David H. Gustafson

Published: 12/12/2023

By David H. Gustafson, PhD, Director, Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies, and Maureen Fitzgerald, Communications Manager, Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC Update: In Memoriam It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Don Holloway, who made significant contributions to the NIATx model. Learn more about Don’s legacy. Dave Gustafson Dave […]

NIATx in New Places: RHRP

Published: 11/14/2023

By: Mat Roosa, LCSW-R “How can we improve our workforce?” In a human service environment filled with open positions, understaffed programs a low rates of worker retention this seems like a perfectly reasonable question. As NIATx has continued to explore new places, we have turned our attention to trying to support the workforce challenges of […]

Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network: Celebrating 30 Years of Empowering Professionals

Published: 10/24/2023

By Greg Grisolano, for the ATTC Network Technology transfer is in our name, but do you really know what it is? Even though the Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network has been a leading expert in the field of substance use disorders since 1993, we realize there are still some folks who don’t know who […]

NIATx in New Places: Insights on Using NIATx in Prevention

Published: 10/10/2023

By Erin Ficker, Prevention Manager, Great Lakes PTTC, and Maureen Fitzgerald, Communications Manager Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, PTTC Erin Ficker, CPRS, MPAff, has over 18 years of experience in substance use prevention, helping communities adopt evidence-based strategies and data-driven processes for prevention planning and execution. Since 2019, Erin has teamed up with NIATx coach Scott Gatzke to […]

NIATx in New Places: Empowering Teams in Recovery Community Organizations with NIATx

Published: 09/12/2023

By Kris Kelly, PR COE and Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, PTTC Project Manager, and Maureen Fitzgerald, Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC Communications Manager For recovery advocate Kris Kelly, the NIATx model helps tackle a long-standing question: “How can we support grassroots recovery organizations that are typically underfunded, under-resourced, but continuously over-delivering?” Kris joined the team at […]

NIATx in New Places: Implementing MOUD Programming in Criminal Justice Settings

Published: 08/15/2023

By: Jessica Vechinski, MSW, Client-Based Researcher & Project Manager, Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN),Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies, UW–Madison, and Kristina Spannbauer, MA, Communications Specialist, Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, PTTC Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies, UW–Madison Coaching is a favored strategy for the implementation of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), yet research has not adequately […]

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