Identifying strategies to advance equitable implementation of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder treatment in drug treatment courts: A study protocol. Issue 1 (7th February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gaba, Ayorkor; LoVette, Ashleigh; Pridgen, Bailey; Taylor, Marquita; Woodward, Eva; Rosal, Milagros C.; Anderson, Melissa; Smelson, David
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical and translational science. Volume 7:Issue 1(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-02-07
• Subjects: Health equity -- mental health -- substance use -- criminal legal -- co-occurring disorder -- implementation -- community-engaged; Clinical medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; Medicine, Experimental -- Periodicals; Human experimentation in medicine -- Periodicals; 616.027
• DOI: 10.1017/cts.2023.14
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2059-8661

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Behavioral health treatment disparities by race and ethnicity are well documented across the criminal legal system. Despite criminal legal settings such as drug treatment courts (DTCs) increasingly adopting evidence-based programs (EBPs) to improve care, there is a dearth of research identifying strategies to advance equitable implementation of EBPs and reduce racial/ethnic treatment disparities. This paper describes an innovative approach to identify community- and provider-generated strategies to support equitable implementation of an evidence-based co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder intervention, called Maintaining Independence and Sobriety through Systems Integration, Outreach and Networking-Criminal Justice (MISSION-CJ), in DTCs. Methods/design: Guided by the Health Equity Implementation Framework, qualitative interviews and surveys will assess factors facilitating and hindering equitable implementation of MISSION-CJ in DTCs among 30 Black/African American and/or Hispanic/Latino persons served and providers. Concept mapping with sixty Black/African American and/or Hispanic/Latino persons served and providers will gather community- and provider-generated strategies to address identified barriers. Finally, an advisory board will offer iterative feedback on the data to guide toolkit development and inform equitable implementation of MISSION-CJ within DTCs. Conclusions: The paper illustrates a protocol of a study based in community-engaged research and implementation science to understand multilevel drivers of racial/ethnic disparities in co-occurring disorder treatment and identify opportunities for intervention and improvements within criminal legal settings.