Education and Systematic Service Assessment through Technology and Research (ESTR) to improve the effectiveness of the Swedish Social Welfare System

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PIs:

Professor Lena Lundgren

CO-PIs:

Associate Professor Mojgan Padyab (Umea University of Social Work)

Professor Mikael Sandlund (Umea University School of Medicine)

Community Partners:

The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare

Funding Sources:

Swedish Research Council of Health, Working Life and Welfare
Umea University

Research Type:

Active

Unit:

Graduate School of Social Work

Research Interest:

community organizing and community development, Cross-National Behavioral Health Laboratory

Our multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional research program aims to improve the effectiveness of the Swedish social welfare system’s response to clients with risky substance use (RSU) and substance use disorder (SUD).

Our national program ESTR implements and tests the effectiveness of a national education/technology support program (CET) targeting social workers who work with clients who have RSU/SUD. ESTR also includes and tests web-based supports to increase social worker capacity to provide timely services linked to client needs. CET aims to strengthen social worker competence, implementation of empirically supported methods (ESM) and improve their knowledge of addiction as a bio/psycho/social condition. Four research studies test CET related implementation and outcomes. Study 1 tests gains in social worker knowledge and confidence in use of ESMs. Study 2 tests whether CET participation resulted in increased use of client assessments/ follow-ups, other ESMs and use of web-based technology supports. Study 3 tests if increased use in ESMs changed client (n>40,000) outcomes.