NEW JERSEY, March 31, 2006 -- As part of its efforts to improve the quality of alcohol and drug addiction treatment in the United States by promoting evidence-based treatment practices, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) today launched Advancing Recovery: State/Provider Partnerships for Quality Addiction Care. The four-year, $11 million program will support partnerships between treatment provider organizations that deliver care, and states that are in the unique role of being both the largest purchaser or publically funded treatment services and regulators and licensers of those services.

In the first round of funding, six state-provider partnerships will be selected to participate in a learning network that will provide technical assistance and coaching to participants to improve the delivery of addiction treatment. Funding will support the process of making changes at both the state and provider levels to maximize the implementation of proven addiction treatment practices.

"By changing and strengthening state- and provider-level practices that promote the use of evidence-based care, Advancing Recovery seeks to improve consumer outcomes and highlight addiction treatment as an essential component of the health care system," said Victor Capoccia, RWJF senior program officer. "Our goal is to overcome the barriers to using 'what works' and increases the use of proven practices through innovative partnerships between providers and single state agencies."

Advancing Recovery will focus on five categories to improve treatment quality, including the use of: (1) medications for specific diagnoses; (2) screening and brief intervention in primary care settings; (3) specific psychosocial clinical interventions; (4) post-treatment care; and (5) case management wraparound and supportive services.

Single State agencies, intermediate purchasing entities, community treatment agencies, or provider associations are all eligible to apply. Each application must represent a partnership involving a single state agency and sufficient community treatment agencies.

The Advancing Recovery Call for Proposals is available online at www.rwjf.org (under Grant Applications.) Full proposals are due May 31, 2006. Potential applicants should contact the program at info@advancingrecovery.net or visit www.advancingrecovery.net for more information.