Maintaining Efficacy while Adapting Contingency Management: State and Tribal partnerships as examples

Sara Parent, ND
Washington State University

K. Michelle Peavy, PhD
Washington State University

Michael McDonnell, PhD
Washington State University

Kait Hirchak, PhD
Washington State University

ABSTRACT:
Contingency Management (CM) is an evidence-based behavioral intervention for substance use disorders that is receiving increasing attention as the most effective treatment available for stimulant use disorder. Decades of research have established its efficacy, and more recent Dissemination and Implementation Science suggest effective ways to facilitate its uptake. Each time a CM program is launched in a real-world setting, decisions must be made to address implementation goals and constraints. Our team works closely with state funders, Tribal partners, and other clinical and non-clinical sites implementing CM to navigate these adaptations, balancing fidelity with practical needs. We will present our experiences with state- and Tribe-partnered CM programs to illustrate how collaborations among funders, training and technical assistance team/subject matter experts, and CM sites/practitioners can help strike this balance. Our focus will be on how these partnerships support site-specific adaptations while maintaining evidence-based protocol integrity, ultimately centering positive outcomes for the individuals and communities served.