Importance of Sustainability Planning for SUD Programs
Rural substance use disorder (SUD) programs should consider sustainability planning early, ideally during the planning phase and prior to program launch. A formal sustainability plan can help ensure an impactful program and help program leadership prepare for continuing the program beyond the end of grant funding.
Developing a Sustainability Plan
A sustainability plan for a rural SUD prevention program should include strategies for ongoing prevention and treatment, as well as strategies for reimbursement and billing. By addressing both program activities and financial sustainability, the plan can help ensure long-term success.
Rural SUD programs should update sustainability plans to address challenges and lessons learned. Ongoing process evaluation can help identify successes, areas for improvement, and opportunities for future growth — information that supports long-term program sustainability.
Key considerations to address in a sustainability plan for a SUD treatment and prevention program include:
- Planning for staff turnover
- Training new staff
- Supporting partnerships, including sustaining program consortia and maintaining communication
- Tracking evaluation measures to demonstrate program impact
- Identifying new research findings and best practices
- Monitoring community demographics, changes, and trends
- Securing funding for equipment
- Identifying strategies for long-term sustainability
Demonstrating Value
Sustaining SUD programs often requires demonstrating measurable outcomes for participants and the community. Rural communities can use program evaluation data, including outcomes and achievements, to demonstrate the program's value and impact.
To ensure ongoing support from collaborators and funders, it is important to make a business case for investing in SUD treatment and prevention programs. Programs should tailor this information to different audiences. For example:
- Policymakers – evidence of reduced overdose-related deaths
- Employers – findings that demonstrate decreases in absenteeism
- Insurers – evidence of reduced costs associated with emergency department visits or inpatient SUD treatment
When programs align outcomes and achievements to the interests of different audiences, it can strengthen support for long-term sustainability.