Jennifer J. Kasten Livres

The book explores the complexities of implementing public health policy, particularly in the context of opioid dependence treatment, amidst new federal regulations. It challenges the notion that institutional change is straightforward, highlighting the influence of various institutional and market forces on organizational adaptation. Focusing on critical areas like take-home medications, medication dosage, and quality assurance systems, it provides insights for professionals in public administration, public health, and substance abuse treatment, emphasizing the nuanced dynamics of regulatory impact.

Improving federal efforts to implement public health policy requires a better understanding of the impact of institutional and market forces on organizational change mandated by federal regulations. Previous institutional literature assumed that institutional change driven by federal regulatory agencies is relatively easy to accomplish; however, there is a growing belief that other forces impact the extent to which government agencies are able to influence institutional change. Recently, the opioid dependence treatment field underwent a dramatic shift in regulatory oversight. This shift and the subsequent mandate of new federal regulations represent a punctuated change in the field that offers a unique opportunity to study the influences of institutional and market forces on change within organizations under federal regulation. For the purposes of this study, organizational change focuses on three areas of opioid dependence treatment targeted within the federally mandated regulations for policies and practice changes: (1) take-home medications, (2) medication dosage, and (3) quality assurance systems. These areas represent the organizational policies and practices impacted most by the legislative change and new regulations. This book is addressed to professionals in public administration, public health, and substance abuse treatment.