Program Management and Administrative Skills
What this domain tests
Program management and administrative skills test your ability to run a compliant, ethical, and effective SUD program: policies, staffing, budgets, quality improvement, and outcome monitoring.
Core rules
- Policies and procedures must reflect current licensure, certification, and confidentiality requirements.
- Staffing plans match credentials to duties; clinical supervision is documented.
- Quality improvement uses measurable indicators such as engagement, retention, completion, and follow-up.
- Program evaluation tracks outcomes and uses data for correction, not blame.
- Risk management includes documentation audits, incident reporting, emergency preparedness, and secure records.
Worked example
A program’s no-show rate rises from 15% to 35%. The manager reviews scheduling data and finds most missed appointments are afternoon slots with no reminder calls. A PDSA cycle adds 48-hour reminders and same-week open-access slots; the rate falls to 20%. Reasoning: the manager defines the problem with data, tests a small change, and remeasures.
Traps
Assuming licensure equals certification; ignoring staff burnout; collecting data without using it; and changing policy without training or documentation.