In-Depth Technical Assistance

NCSACW's In-Depth Technical Assistance (IDTA) program advances the capacity of states, tribes, and their community partner agencies to improve the safety, health, permanency, well-being, and recovery outcomes for families affected by substance use disorders. This 18- to 24-month program strengthens cross-system collaboration and linkages among the child welfare and substance use disorder treatment systems and the courts, as well as maternal and infant health care providers, public health providers, early care and education systems, home visiting providers, and other key partners. Since the program’s inception in 2003, 26 unique sites have engaged in IDTA, including two county sites, four tribal sites, and 20 states.

In 2014, NCSACW focused the IDTA program on assisting states and tribes with addressing the needs of infants and families affected by prenatal substance exposure and the recovery of pregnant and parenting women and their families. IDTA also assists states in developing policies and protocols to align with the prenatal substance exposure provisions in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) of 2016, which amended sections of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA).

The IDTA model is based on the premise that sites are more likely to successfully implement meaningful and sustainable policy and practice change when they receive targeted training, technical assistance, and coaching in sufficient depth and duration, through strategic phases and with the support of a dedicated Change Liaison (CL). Establishing or augmenting a collaborative governance structure is the foundation for implementing policy and practice changes. Several key factors for success identified through this extensive engagement include:

• Partnering with agencies who are committed to implementing effective policy and practice changes.
• Engaging systems leaders who not only support the work of collaborative teams but also are willing to address barriers to strengthening collaboration.
• Measuring cross-system outcomes.

• View the innovative tools and resources developed by IDTA sites

• Highlighted Resource

  • In-Depth Technical Assistance: Infants with Prenatal Substance Exposure
    (PDF 1.8 MB)

    National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2019

    This brief summarizes the accomplishments, key findings, and conclusions that emerged from three In-Depth Technical Assistance (IDTA) Infants with Prenatal Substance Exposure (IPSE) sites: Delaware, Minnesota, and New York. Between 2016 and 2018, the program focused on developing policies and protocols with state teams to successfully implement Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act requirements, especially those that pertain to hospital notifications to Child Protective Services, Plans of Safe Care, and data collection and reporting. This brief presents lessons generated over the course of their engagement with IDTA-IPSE that are related to partnerships and collaboration as well as to practices and policies that affect outcomes for infants and families.

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  Site Products

  • As part IDTA, each selected site develops a Score of Work and corresponding work plan that defines the objectives and desired outcomes for the period on in-depth technical assistance. While each site's experience and outcomes are unique, the products developed tend to address similar needs, related to:

    • Budget, Funding and Sustainability
    • Communication, Data and Information Sharing Protocols
    • Cross-System Shared Values and Guiding Principles
    • Drug Testing Protocols
    • Family Drugs Court Procedures
    • Interagency Agreements
    • Legislation

    • Logic Models and Evaluation Plans
    • Multi-System Training Plans
    • Policies, Protocols and Procedures
    • Project Marketing Materials
    • Screening, Assessment, Engagement and Retention Protocols
    • Self-Assessment Tools and Virtual Walk-Through
    • Strategic Plans

• Reports

  • • In-Depth Technical Assistance: Final Report 2007-2012 (PDF 305 KB)
    • In-Depth Technical Assistance: Round Three Final Report (PDF 10 KB)
    • In-Depth Technical Assistance: Round Two Final Report (PDF 234 KB)
    • In-Depth Technical Assistance: Round One Final Report (PDF 1.2 MB)

• State and Local Examples

  • In-Depth Technical Assistance: Infants with Prenatal Substance Exposure
    (PDF 1.8 MB)

    National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2019

    This brief summarizes the accomplishments, key findings, and conclusions that emerged from three In-Depth Technical Assistance (IDTA) Infants with Prenatal Substance Exposure (IPSE) sites: Delaware, Minnesota, and New York. Between 2016 and 2018, the program focused on developing policies and protocols with state teams to successfully implement Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act requirements, especially those that pertain to hospital notifications to Child Protective Services, Plans of Safe Care, and data collection and reporting. This brief presents lessons generated over the course of their engagement with IDTA-IPSE that are related to partnerships and collaboration as well as to practices and policies that affect outcomes for infants and families.

    View Document
  • In-Depth Technical Assistance for Infants with Prenatal Substance Exposure and their Families
    (PDF 1.8 MB)

    National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2018

    The summary for the In-Depth Technical Assistance (IDTA) Program for Infants With Prenatal Substance Exposure (IPSE) and Their Families provides an overview of the work of 11 states that have received IDTA since 2014 or are currently receiving IDTA. The program summary highlights state teams’ efforts to identify barriers and challenges in engaging families affected by prenatal substance exposure, as well as states’ efforts to develop state strategies to improve outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women with opioid misuse disorders, their infants with prenatal substance exposure, and their families. The states identified key cross-cutting lessons of successful collaboration to improve policy and practice.

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