Linking the elements of change: Program and client responses to innovation

The process of innovation adoption was investigated using longitudinal records collected from a statewide network of almost 60 treatment programs over a 2-year period. Program-level measures of innovation adoption were defined by averaged counselor ratings of program training needs and readiness, organizational functioning, quality of a workshop training conference, and adoption indicators at follow-up. Findings showed that staff attitudes about training needs and past experiences are predictive of their subsequent ratings of training quality and progress in adopting innovations a year later. Organizational climate (clarity of mission, cohesion, openness to change) is also related to innovation adoption. In programs that lack an open atmosphere for adopting new ideas, it was found that counselor trial usage is likely to be attenuated. Most important was evidence that innovation adoption based on training for improving treatment engagement was significantly related to client self-reports of improved treatment participation and rapport recorded several months later.