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Implementing Substance Abuse Intervention Services in New York City Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics: Factors Promoting Interagency Collaboration

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Abstract

This report presents results of Project LINK, a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)-funded, 5-year collaboration (2007–2012) between New York City (NYC) health and NY State substance abuse disorder (SUD) agencies, an LGBT organization contractor, and multiple SUD, social service, and mental health referral agencies. LINK allowed the first ever SUD screening, brief intervention, and referrals to treatment (SBIRT) intervention services onsite in NYC Bureau of Sexually Transmitted Disease Control (BSTDC) clinics. Factors favoring collaboration were (a) joint recognition of substance abuse as an STD risk factor; (b) prior collaborations; (c) agreement on priority of BSTDC’s mission and policies; (d) extensive SBIRT training, cross training on STDs; (e) a memorandum of agreement; and (f) mutual transparency of collaborative efforts, among others. LINK screened over 151,000 STD clinic patients and delivered brief interventions to 60% of positively screened patients and met a mandated follow-up target. Factors found to facilitate collaboration here may help screen prospective new health collaborations.

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Acknowledgments

Steve Rubin, B.B.A. Deputy Director of BSTDC, NYC DOHMH during the 2000 assessment, Chelsea Pilot study, and most of Project LINK, now retired, was a key co-developer of the collaboration discussed here. Key staff of LINK early on include Lucia Clark, initial project evaluator; Katie Haverly in the same role; Erin Mulrooney, manager of the STD clinic and follow-up data, compiled and managed meeting minutes at the LGBT Center; and the next data manager, Anthony Freeman. Key BSTDC LINK project managers include Raffaella Espinoza and, earlier, Alexis Kowalski. Absolutely crucial work was and continues to be done by the intervention counselors: Roberto Gonzalez, CASAC-T; Brian Belovich, B.A., CASAC-T; and Luke Sleiter, M.S.W.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Barbara E. Warren PsyD

    Present address: Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, NY, USA

  2. Jiang Yu PhD

    Present address: NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, 1450 Western Avenue, Albany, NY, 12203, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, 501 7th Avenue, New York, NY, 10018, USA

    Philip W. Appel PhD

  2. Center for Addictions Research, School of Social Welfare, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA

    Jiang Yu PhD

  3. Bureau of STD Control and Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, NY, USA

    Meighan Rogers MPH

  4. Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, 1450 Western Avenue, Albany, NY, 12203, USA

    Brett Harris DrPH

  5. Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA

    Shanequa Highsmith BS

  6. LGBT Center, 208 West 13th Street, New York, NY, 10011, USA

    Carrie Davis MSW

Authors
  1. Philip W. Appel PhD
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  2. Barbara E. Warren PsyD
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  3. Jiang Yu PhD
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  4. Meighan Rogers MPH
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  5. Brett Harris DrPH
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  6. Shanequa Highsmith BS
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  7. Carrie Davis MSW
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Philip W. Appel PhD.

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Appel, P.W., Warren, B.E., Yu, J. et al. Implementing Substance Abuse Intervention Services in New York City Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics: Factors Promoting Interagency Collaboration. J Behav Health Serv Res 44, 168–176 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-015-9473-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-015-9473-8

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