Addressing Barriers to Care for Substance Use Disorder Pilot Study

The Addressing Barriers to Care for Substance Use Disorder Pilot (ABC-SUD Pilot) was a randomized pilot study that preceded a larger trial. The ABC-SUD Pilot was a parallel group, cluster-randomized pilot feasibility trial, with clinicians (care coordinators) as the unit of randomization. This study was conducted in a mental health treatment access center within the Washington region of Kaiser Permanente. As part of usual care, patients contacted the mental health access center to speak to a "care coordinator" to obtain contact information for potential venues to obtain treatment for substance use disorder. The experimental intervention, Care Navigation, was evaluated for its potential to increase the utilization of substance use disorder treatment among patients who contacted the mental health treatment access center. The investigators note that Care Navigation was delivered by study "care navigators", who were distinct from the health system's care coordinators.

Clinician (Care Coordinator) Inclusion Criteria: * Conducts video or phone-based assessment and treatment planning visits in the mental health treatment access center * Has been employed for at least 1 month and has completed trainings related to their clinical role in the health system * Scheduled to conduct at least 3 assessments per day * Has consented to participate in the study. Clinician Exclusion Criteria: \- None Patient Inclusion Criteria (eligibility for analyses): * Visits an enrolled care coordinator during the patient eligibility period * ≥ 18 years of age at the time of the visit * Has an assessment and treatment planning visit for SUD with an enrolled care coordinator (this criterion was applied during the first period of the pilot, 7/9/2024-9/15/2024) * Has evidence of substance use as determined by the care coordinator (this criterion was applied during the second period of the pilot, 9/16/2024-11/27/2024) * Has an assessment and treatment planning visit for mental health treatment with an enrolled care coordinator (this criterion was applied during the second period of the pilot, 9/16/2024-11/27/2024) Patient Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who have requested through the health system to opt out of research contact or chart review * Patients who are not enrolled in Kaiser Permanente or Medicaid insurance (anticipated incomplete capture of covariate and/or outcome information)