Surveys for Improving Substance Abuse Treatment

The nation's health care service delivery systems have been in flux in response to the growth of managed care. This change has also created new challenges and pressures for clinicians, administrators, and policymakers in the substance abuse treatment field. Mathematica is helping the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration respond to these changes by suggesting ways to refine the information SAMHSA collects and reports.

Mathematica conducts an annual survey (the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services—N-SSATS) for SAMHSA of treatment facilities in the United States. In 2006, over 17,000 substance abuse treatment facilities were contacted and the survey response rate was 96.9 percent. The survey collects information about substance abuse programs and facility characteristics to profile the places offering services and the services being offered, as well as the number of clients receiving each type of service. In addition to being useful for looking at differences across states, the data can also be used longitudinally to track trends in services offered or treatment modalities.

The directory of substance abuse treatment facilities is searchable by geographic location and by type of treatment service. It also has a locator feature that generates a map showing exactly where facilities can be found. Information in the online version is updated monthly. Free printed copies can be obtained from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, (800) 729-6686. 

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