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From Workshop to Workplace: Examining the Use of Adolescent and Adult Community Reinforcement Approach (A/CRA) in Ireland.

Evidence-based interventions play a central role in contemporary addiction treatment, offering structured and empirically supported approaches to addressing substance use disorders. However, the effectiveness of such interventions in real-world settings depends not only on their theoretical foundations and demonstrated efficacy in controlled trials, but also on how they are understood, implemented, and sustained by practitioners within complex service environments. The translation of evidence-based models from training contexts into everyday clinical practice remains a persistent challenge within addiction services internationally.

This original research study investigates the implementation of the Adolescent and Adult Community Reinforcement Approach (A/CRA), an evidence-based behavioural intervention for substance use disorders, as it is applied by addiction service providers across Ireland. While A/CRA has shown strong clinical effectiveness, this study examines its use beyond controlled settings, exploring how practitioners interpret and adapt the model in routine practice. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research analyses factors influencing fidelity and implementation, including organisational context, practitioner confidence, supervision structures, and perceived client responsiveness. By examining both the challenges and successes of embedding A/CRA within diverse service settings, the study contributes to understanding the gap between training and practice and offers practical recommendations to enhance the uptake and sustainability of evidence-based interventions within the Irish addiction services landscape.