Measures of Service Utilization (From Treatment for Drug- Exposed Women and Their Children: Advances in Research Methodology, P 225-241, 1996, Elizabeth R Rahdert, ed. -- See NCJ-163710)

• NCJ Number: 163724
• Author(s): M E McCaul; D S Svikis
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 17 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC. NIDA Research Monograph Series 165

Annotation

Substantial progress has been made in the number, scope, and quality of drug abuse treatment outcome evaluations over the past several decades.

Abstract

Treatment researchers are developing highly sophisticated scales to describe and measure the content and integrity of therapeutic interventions. At the same time, researchers must develop more sophisticated strategies for measuring treatment participation and retention. Utilization measures can be expensive to collect and are often readily available within mandated treatment reporting systems. These measures can be examined differently or supplemented in small but meaningful ways to yield more informative program effectiveness measures. Such detailed measurement of service utilization will become increasingly important in the context of cost-effectiveness. In addition, because few treatment programs can afford post- treatment client followup, the number of treatment visits and length of client retention can be inexpensive measures for determining the effects of changes in program service delivery on client outcomes. Clients often communicate important information about the quality and utility of treatment services through their attendance and participation in these services. In the face of increasing demands from regulatory agencies, insurance payers, and treatment clients, it will become even more important to have well-established strategies for utilization monitoring at program, counselor, and client levels. 20 references and 1 table