Abstract
Addiction treatment agencies face challenges in adopting and sustaining Motivational Interviewing (MI) use. Addiction Educators can assist agencies in changing practices by preparing new practitioners to have some beginning skills in adoption and sustaining strategies. Investigators assessed three types of agency training and six administrative activities to support adoption and sustaining MI. Investigators observed agency progress and recorded agency successes and challenges. Generally, education workshops alone did not result in long-term adoption and sustainability of MI. Agencies found external expert consultation, enhanced supervisor skills in coaching/mentoring MI use, case review of MI use and study groups effective in supporting MI use. The paper provides recommendations that addiction educators can integrate into their curriculum to build support for agencies in adopting and sustaining MI. The recommendations may also help agencies in their adoption of MI. Educators may find these same strategies useful in preparing students to use and support MI use in addiction prevention and treatment agencies.