New England ATTC: Leadership Development Program

December 19, 2018
New England ATTC

By 2024, 1 in 4 members of the United States workforce will be 55 years or older, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. This is more than double the rate in 1994, when workers over 55 only accounted for 12% of the workforce. In the short-term, organizations often benefit from having an older workforce: older workers bring advanced knowledge, experience, and skill. But in the longer-term, organizations need to prepare for the impending retirement of substantial numbers of “baby boomers” in leadership positions. In the addiction treatment and recovery field, concerns about the aging workforce are compounded by the acuity of the overdose epidemic, high rates of staff turnover, and the rapidly changing behavioral healthcare landscape. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop a new generation of addiction treatment and recovery leaders.

Intensive Technical Assistance for Aspiring Leaders

To address this need, the New England ATTC recently announced the launch of a new intensive technical assistance (TA) initiative for aspiring leaders in the addictions field: the Leadership Development Program (LDP). Reflecting a multi-disciplinary approach, the LDP was designed by Peter Smith, MBA with strategic input from an advisory committee of addiction treatment, recovery, and cultural competence professionals. The program focuses on vital leadership skills using a range of technology-assisted, interactive, and experiential learning methods. The overarching goal is to provide an intensive learning experience that will accelerate skill acquisition among a cohort of aspiring leaders.

Participation in the LDP entails participation in intensive face-to-face residential learning sessions and a series of remote learning collaborative sessions that contain virtual classrooms, breakout chat rooms, real-time polling and feedback, A/V recording, and technical support. Participants also complete distance learning assignments and have access to an external facilitator for ongoing support. A worksheet describing the first session of the LDP in Fall of 2018 can be accessed here.

To qualify for the LDP, applicants have to meet the following criteria:

• 2-10 years’ work experience working in a supervisory or managerial capacity or role. Experience in the addictions treatment or recovery field was preferred, but not required.

• Demonstrable operational management skills in areas including, but not limited to: employee supervision, goal setting, and managing financial resources/budgeting.

• Identified (via verbal or written reference letters) as having exceptional leadership potential by others within the addictions treatment or recovery profession.

A total of 16 individuals from across New England are currently participating in the first round of the LDP. Activities will be completed over 5 months, with the final intensive didactic session being held the week of January 23-24, 2019. Graduates of the LDP will receive ongoing TA support via a newly formed Regional Leadership Development learning collaborative that will meet monthly via web-based video conference.

The New England ATTC is currently analyzing participant feedback in order to make improvements to the program. A second round of the LDP will be announced in Spring of 2019. If you are or know an aspiring leader in the New England region, please consider participating in this intensive TA program! Follow the New England ATTC on Facebook(New England ATTC) and twitter(@NewEnglandATTC) for announcements about this initiative.