Diffusion of an Empirically Supported Treatment for Substance Abuse: An Organizational Autopsy of Technology Transfer Success and Failure.

Gotham (2004, this issue) provides a thoughtful analysis of the primary issues and complexities involved in the transfer of efficacious treatments for substance abuse and other mental health problems from well-controlled research settings to community-based programs. Although the review thoroughly explores potential barriers encountered when moving an empirically supported treatment (EST) to “real world” settings, it does so mostly in the abstract. This commentary supplements Gotham's review by providing a qualitative description of our groups’ experiences transferring an EST for substance abuse, Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT), into five different community-based clinics. Comments by patients, counselors, supervisors, and administrators from these programs are provided to illustrate the nature of practical barriers to technology transfer we encountered in this process.