Related Experiment Videos
Matching clients' needs with drug treatment services
Y I Hser1, M L Polinsky, M Maglione
1UCLA Drug Abuse Research Center, Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California, USA. yhser@ucla.edu
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
|June 1, 1999
Summary
Matching drug treatment services to client needs significantly improved outcomes and treatment retention. Services for vocational training, child care, transportation, and housing showed particular benefits for individuals expressing these needs.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Client needs assessment is crucial for effective drug treatment.
- Community-based programs face challenges in tailoring services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if matching drug treatment services to client needs improves outcomes.
- To identify specific services that positively impact treatment retention.
Main Methods:
- Assessed 171 clients on multiple problem areas and service needs.
- Conducted 6-month follow-up interviews to record services received and reassess needs.
- Analyzed the relationship between needs-services matching and client outcomes.
Main Results:
- Services addressing expressed needs for vocational training, child care, transportation, and housing showed significant positive effects.
- A higher degree of needs-services matching predicted longer treatment retention.
- The ratio of services received to desired services and met vs. unmet needs were key indicators.
Conclusions:
- Tailoring community-based drug treatment services to individual client needs enhances treatment effectiveness.
- Addressing specific needs like vocational support and housing is vital for improved outcomes.
- Needs-services matching is a significant predictor of sustained engagement in drug treatment programs.