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A client-treatment matching protocol for therapeutic communities: first report
G Melnick1, G De Leon, G Thomas
1Center for Therapeutic Community Research at National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23rd Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010, USA. jerrymelnick@aol.com
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
|December 1, 2001
Summary
A new client-treatment matching protocol (CMP) improved substance abuse treatment outcomes. CMP-matched clients showed higher treatment completion and retention rates in residential and outpatient settings.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Effective client-treatment matching is crucial for substance abuse recovery.
- Current admission processes may not optimize client placement in therapeutic communities (TCs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel client-treatment matching protocol (CMP) for substance abuse treatment.
- To determine if CMP-guided admissions improve treatment outcomes in residential and outpatient settings.
Main Methods:
- A passive matching design was used with two cohorts (n=318, n=407) from nine TCs.
- Clients received the CMP, but treatment centers were unaware of recommendations during usual intake.
- Bivariate and logistical regression analyses assessed treatment dispositions.
Main Results:
- CMP-matched clients demonstrated significantly higher rates of treatment completion and retention.
- The protocol showed positive treatment dispositions across different substance abuse treatment settings.
Conclusions:
- Objective matching criteria, like the CMP, can enhance substance abuse treatment outcomes.
- Findings support the use of CMP for improving client placement and retention in TCs.