State variations in public and private alcoholism treatment at specialty substance abuse treatment facilities

This article reports characteristics of state specialty alcoholism treatment systems estimated from the 1989 National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Unit Survey (Ndatus). Ndatus is adjusted to correct for item nonresponse and differential unit nonresponse across states. We estimate that $3.8 billion was spent nationally on specialty alcoholism treatment in 1989. Per capita funding ranged from $52 in Alaska to $6 in Mississippi. Clients in treatment per capita and funding per client-day each varied more than 10-fold across states. Comparison of treatment system measures with indicators of the need for alcoholism treatment showed little systematic relationship across states.