Facilitating problem drinking clients' transition from inpatient to outpatient care

Engaging and retaining problem drinkers in the helping process are among the most difficult tasks encountered by professionals working with alcoholic clients. The engagement process is particularly difficult for individuals who are referred for outpatient treatment following inpatient care. This article reports on the use of transition groups to improve the linkages between inpatient and outpatient alcoholism treatment. Findings revealed that clients who had access to a transition group had more favorable outcomes than did individuals who had no access to the group. The group was especially useful for inpatients who had encounters with the outpatient clinic before their hospitalizations. This investigation illustrates the positive impact of simple service adjustments on the delivery of care.