SUD Organizational Development Assessment (SODA)

About the SODA

Created in 2023 and piloted in 2024, the SODA addresses findings that SUD providers struggle to adopt new curriculum and training due to various organizational barriers. Examples of these barriers include challenges with recruitment and retention, an inability to capture reimbursement for services rendered due to credentialing and contracting, and system service gaps that distract staff attention from clinical quality. SODA tool development leveraged extensive literature review and input from interviews with health system stakeholders, including providers, managed care organizations, and academic experts. Universally, stakeholders and pilot participants found the SODA to be a meaningful, accurate, and useful tool to identify and plan quality initiatives.

The SODA was also previewed at the 2024 WAADAC conference, the state chapter of NAADAC, representing Washington state addiction professionals. The conference presentation contains an overview of the development and content of the SODA tool.

Purpose of the SODA

The SODA assesses barriers to and facilitators of success, and it informs a tailored strategy to address training, staffing, and quality improvement efforts that focus on the unique needs of the organization and the individuals they serve. The SODA is modeled on the Washington Integrated Care Assessment (WA-ICA) but is distinct in that it focuses on SUD providers, particularly those that are smaller and operate outside the context of an integrated care environment. As such, the SODA delves into factors that are specific to SUD treatments. As a standardized and piloted tool, the assessment has two primary purposes:

• Assist an SUD agency in an internal review to identify its strengths and opportunities for investment. The tool can be used multiple times to gauge progress toward improvement goals.
• Provide information to health system partners on common areas of support needed to achieve quality outcomes among SUD providers in the state.

The assessment can be adopted as a self-administered standalone tool or as part of a structured technical assistance program. Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen SUD treatment providers and improve clinical outcomes.

SODA components

The tool consists of three primary components:

• Implementation guide
• Organizational assessment
• Scoring and planning tool

Technical assistance for quality improvement

The SODA tool’s scoring process provides references and links to resources that agencies may find helpful in building a roadmap of quality improvement initiatives. Additional key tools include:

• Business planning
  U.S. Small Business Administration Business Guide
• Outcome measurement
  Behavioral Health Clinical Quality Measures Tool
• Workforce development
  Recruitment and retention toolkit for behavioral health organizations
• Workforce training
  Advancing Person-Centered Care in Substance Use Disorder Settings training
• Clinical services
  Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center
• Care coordination
  Sharing SUD Information - A Guide for Washington State

Frequently asked questions

Is the SODA a requirement?

No, the assessment is an opt-in tool available to SUD agencies in developing their organizational roadmaps and quality improvement projects.

How long does it take to complete the assessment?

We encourage agencies to convene a cross-functional team of operational, financial, and clinical leaders to gather multiple perspectives and complete the assessment together. It should take a few hours to complete the assessment.

How often should an organization complete the SODA?

Agencies are encouraged to complete the assessment once per year to measure progress toward the tool’s benchmarked standards.

Who will see the results of my assessment and how will that information be used?

The assessment is intended to be an internal learning and planning tool. An agency may choose to utilize the tool with potential partners to determine areas of synergies or areas of investment. Organizations self-score and are able to see their results immediately. The assessment results can inform the development of an organization’s quality-improvement roadmap.

Can I get help in completing the assessment?

The assessment is designed to be easy to follow and score. Instructions on how to complete the assessment are in the SODA Implementation Guide.

What happens after I complete the assessment?

The assessment allows agencies to develop an action plan for advancing clinical quality and improving clinical outcomes.