What Is a TIP?

CSAT Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs) are prepared by the Quality Assurance and evaluation Branch to facilitate the transfer of state-of-the-art protocols and guidelines for the treatment of alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse from acknowledged clinical, research, and administrative experts to the Nation's AOD abuse treatment resources.

The dissemination of a TIP is the last step in a process that begins with the recommendation of an AOD abuse problem area for consideration by a panel of experts. These include clinicians, researchers, and program managers, as well as professionals in such related fields as social services or criminal justice.

Once a topic has been selected, CSAT creates a Federal resource panel, with members from pertinent Federal agencies and national organizations, to review the state of the art in treatment and program management in the area selected. Recommendations from this Federal panel are then communicated to the members of a second group, which consists of non-Federal experts who are intimately familiar with the topic. This group, known as a non-Federal consensus panel, meets in Washington for 5 days, makes recommendations, defines protocols, and arrives at agreement on protocols. Its members represent AOD abuse treatment programs, hospitals, community health centers, counseling programs, criminal justice and child welfare agencies, and private practitioners. A Chair (or Co-Chairs) for the panel is charged with responsibility for ensuring that the resulting protocol reflects true group consensus.

The next step is a review of the proposed guidelines and protocol by a third group whose members serve as expert field reviewers. Once their recommendations and responses have been reviewed, the Chair approves the document for publication. The result is a TIP reflecting the actual state of the art of AOD abuse treatment used in public and private programs recognized for their provision of high quality and innovative treatment.

One of the objectives being discussed in the AOD treatment field today is the establishment of standardized patient placement criteria (PPC) for use throughout the field. PPC can be used to assess the severity of clients' problems, place them in appropriate levels of care, and facilitate movement through the continuum of treatment services. This TIP will help readers understand what PPC are and learn from the experiences of others who have helped develop currently used criteria. It also lays the groundwork for a concerted effort to develop national uniform patient placement criteria (UPPC). The many advantages of adopting UPPC are discussed in this TIP, along with "how to" suggestions and strategies for developing national support for UPPC.

This TIP represents another step by CSAT toward its goal of bringing national leadership to bear in the effort to improve AOD abuse treatment.

Other TIPs may be ordered by contacting the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) 800-729-6686 or (301) 468-2600; TDD (for hearing impaired), (800) 487-4889.