OUTPATIENT DRUG-FREE TREATMENT (FROM HANDBOOK ON DRUG ABUSE, 1979, BY ROBERT DUPONT AND AVRAM GOLDSTEIN - SEE NCJ-57805)

• NCJ Number: 57808
• Author(s): H D KLEBER; F SLOBETZ
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN EXAMINATION OF OUTPATIENT DRUG-FREE TREATMENT (OPDF), THIS PAPER DISCUSSES OPDF CLIENTS, OPDF APPROACHES TO REHABILITATION, AND RESEARCH ON OPDF TREATMENT IN TERMS OF OUTCOMES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT.

Abstract

OPDF CLIENTS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO FOUR GROUPS: (1) CLIENTS SEEKING THEIR FIRST TREATMENT; (2) SUCCESSFUL COMPLETERS OF OTHER TREATMENT MODALITIES; (3) CLIENTS WHO HAVE RELAPSED FOLLOWING OTHER TREATMENTS; AND (4) CLIENTS REQUIRING TREATMENT AFTER A PRISON OR HOSPITAL STAY. IN RESPONSE TO THIS VARIETY OF CLIENTELE WHO DIFFER IN REGARD TO AGE, SEX, ETHNICITY, ECONOMIC STATUS, EDUCATION, AND LENGTH AND DEGREE OF SEVERITY OF OPIATE PROBLEMS, OPDF PROGRAMS RUN THE GAMUT FROM 'DROP-IN' RAP CENTERS TO MORE STRUCTURED, THERAPEUTICALLY ORIENTED APPROACHES. COUNSELING IS THE BACKBONE OF MOST PROGRAMS, BUT BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES HAVE ATTRACTED ATTENTION DURING THE 1970'S (AVERSIVE CONDITIONING, ASSERTIVE TRAINING, AND CONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT METHODS), AND FAMILY THERAPY WITH DRUG ABUSERS IS ENJOYING AN UPSURGE OF INTEREST. DEVELOPMENT OF REFERRAL LINKAGES WITH OTHER EXISTING SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEMS IS ESSENTIAL GIVEN THE LIMITED RESOURCES OF MOST OPDF PROGRAMS AND THE NEEDS OF CLIENTS; THESE SERVICES INCLUDE HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH, EDUCATION, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, LEGAL, AND HOUSING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES. ONE STUDY OF OPDF TREATMENT INVOLVING 44,000 SUBJECTS (WITH SMALLER NUMBERS IN THE FOLLOWUP), REVEALED THAT OPDF IS EQUALLY EFFECTIVE AS METHADONE MAINTENANCE AND THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY PROGRAMS IN TERMS OF ILLICIT DRUG USE AND EMPLOYMENT, BUT LESS EFFECTIVE REGARDING CRIMINALITY. OTHER SMALLER STUDIES SHOW VARYING RESULTS. OVERALL, THESE STUDIES POINT OUT THAT FURTHER RESEARCH IS NEEDED ON CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS AND PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCCESS IN OPDF, AND THE COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES OF OPDF IN ASSOCIATION WITH OTHER MODALITIES. FURTHERMORE, THEY SUGGEST THAT OPDF TREATMENT SHOULD BE CLOSELY MONITORED, CONTACTS WITH CLIENTS SHOULD BE FREQUENT, AND ASSESSMENT OF THE CLIENT'S NEEDS IN RELATION TO THE PROGRAM SERVICES SHOULD BE INTENSIFIED. REFERENCES AARE PROVIDED. FOR RELATED ARTICLES, PLEASE SEE NCJ 57805-57807 AND 57809-57834. (DAG)