The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services announced today that Delaware has been chosen as one of a select group of states to partner with Shatterproof, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the devastation of addiction, on the development and implementation of ATLAS, an addiction treatment locator, analysis, and standards tool for addition treatment programs.

ATLAS aligns with the work of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) on the Substance Use Treatment and Recovery Transformation Initiative (START), which was launched in October 2018. Under the START Initiative, Delaware is tracking quality and clinical measures for addiction treatment across the state, and sharing that information with providers to help them improve their services. ATLAS will add the important element of public reporting on select quality measures.

Delaware joins Louisiana, Massachusetts, and New York, all of which have announced their participation in the project in the past two months. During the pilot project, which runs through 2020, DSAMH will work with Shatterproof to implement ATLAS in alignment with the START Initiative. This work will improve the quality of addiction treatment by ensuring care is delivered using evidence-based best practices.

“As evidenced by the START Initiative, we are dedicated to improving the quality of addiction treatment in Delaware. We are excited to work with Shatterproof to align our efforts, and to set a quality standard across the field,” said Elizabeth Romero, Director of DSAMH. “Our providers are already committed and working towards improving quality. Our partnership with Shatterproof will help to amplify this work and ensure that information on quality of care is available to those seeking care across Delaware.”

Delaware has recently taken other important steps to transform the addiction treatment system in the state, including through the Lieutenant Governor’s Behavioral Health Consortium and by partnering with Pew Charitable Trusts for an examination of Delaware’s opioid epidemic.   

ATLAS will be piloted in select states in 2019-2020 with the goal of transforming the quality of addiction treatment based on eight core Principles of Care. These include: universal screening for substance use disorders (SUDs) across medical settings; rapid access to appropriate SUD care; personalized diagnosis, assessment and treatment; continuing long-term outpatient care; concurrent, coordinated care for physical and mental health; access to fully trained behavioral health professionals; access to FDA-approved medications; and access to non-medical recovery support services.

The pilot will apply best practices to the addiction treatment field by measuring the evidence-based elements of care delivery shown to improve patient outcomes. This information will be gathered from three sources: insurance claims, provider surveys, and consumer experience. ATLAS will make information about the quality of care available to consumers, providers, referral sources, policymakers, and payers.

“ATLAS creates a standard of care across the currently fragmented addiction treatment system.” said Samantha Arsenault, Director of National Treatment Quality Initiatives at Shatterproof. “Regardless of where someone goes for addiction treatment, they should expect care consonant with core evidence-based medical practices, just as they would with other diseases.”

Upon successful completion of the two-year pilot, sustained implementation will continue in the pilot states in addition to a phased expansion across the country.

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About Shatterproof
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the devastation the disease of addiction causes families. Shatterproof is focused on one specific, urgent goal: To transform America’s broken addiction treatment system. The organization is working to ensure every American with a substance use disorder has access to treatment based on proven research. Shatterproof advocates for changes to federal and state policy, payer reform, and provider ratings, and provides public education through family and workplace programs.

About the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of life of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.