NCJ Number
165106
Journal
Substance Use and Misuse Volume: 31 Issue: 13 Dated: (1996) Pages: 1891-1927
Date Published
1996
Length
37 pages
Annotation
The timely follow-up of clients who exited from two residential drug treatment programs was achieved through the consistent application of the described strategies.
Abstract
The enrollment and treatment phases of the study provided the environment for the use of standard follow-up and enhanced outreach methods. In order to better understand the application of follow-up methods, the paper first identifies the key personnel involved in executing the follow-up protocol. This is followed by a profile of the treatment sites and brief discussions of the baseline characteristics of project participants, site-specific comparisons of baseline characteristics, follow-up rates for the project, and the prioritizing of follow-up strategies. A review of the essential components of successful follow-up categorizes them as routine follow-up measures and routine outreach/surveillance methods. Routine follow-up measures include the use of a locator form, the provision of incentives to participate in research, a standard interview scheduling procedure, special mailings, and additional monetary incentives. Outreach/surveillance methods described include interviews completed in the field, jails, and other treatment/halfway houses. The authors identify cost-effective surveillance strategies with negligible returns and costly strategies with limited returns. Other topics discussed are the effort required to obtain follow-up interviews, the location of interviews, and organizational aspects of follow-up. 19 references