supports and other services.* 213 SAPTBG is a
major source of funding for state-run or state-
funded treatment programs.^214 SAMHSA’s
performance targets and outcome measures for
this program include required data collection
and reporting on the number of admissions to
treatment programs receiving public funding and
on outcomes, including abstinence,†
employment, school enrollment, justice system
involvement and housing.^215
Accreditation Requirements for Quality
Assurance. CARF requires addiction treatment
facilities and programs to conduct a records
review to assess the quality and appropriateness
of services provided, as well as a review of the
patterns of service utilization. Programs must
analyze patient outcomes--including abstinence;
reduction in relapse, criminal activity and
hospitalizations; improved psychological
function; housing situation; employment status--
to determine the effectiveness of services.^216
Joint Commission standards for addiction
treatment facilities and programs focus more on
performance improvement measures by
requiring programs to conduct data collection
and data analysis and to identify any
opportunities for improving performance (e.g.,
in reducing errors, incorporating patient goals or
comparison with external quality measures).
Only opioid maintenance therapy programs are
required specifically to collect outcome data,
which include measures of the use of illicit
opioids, criminal involvement, health status,
retention in treatment and abstinence.^217
- States that receive SAPTBG funds must, among
other things: spend five percent of the funds on
increasing treatment capacity for pregnant women
and women with dependent children by establishing
new programs or expanding the capacity of existing
programs, improve the process for referring
individuals to treatment facilities that can provide the
most appropriate treatment modality, and make
continuing education available to employees of
funded facilities.
† Measures of client abstinence reflect no past-month
use of alcohol or other drugs at discharge. Discharge
is defined as the date of last service.