ALCOHOLISM EVALUATION OVERVIEW (FROM PROGRAM EVALUATION, ALCOHOL, DRUG ABUSE, AND MENTAL HEATLH SERVICES, 1975, BY JACK ZUSMAN AND CECIL WURSTER - SEE NCJ-50594)

• NCJ Number: 51614
• Author(s): D PATTERSON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: D C Heath and Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE INCREASED EMPHASIS ON EVALUATION IN ALL AREAS OF ALCOHOLISM PROGRAM ACTIVITIES IS REPORTED, AND VARIOUS EVALUATION STRATEGIES ARE DESCRIBED.

Abstract

A LARGE-SCALE EVALUATIVE EFFORT INITIATED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM (NIAAA) BEGAN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IN 1971. THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS INVOLVED IN NATIONWIDE DRINKING DRIVER PROGRAMS IN WHICH EVALUATIVE ELEMENTS ARE ESTABLISHED. INDIVIDUAL STATES HAVE DEVELOPED MONITORING AND EVALUATION PROGRAMS IN SOME INSTANCES, AND MANY OTHERS ARE PREPARING TO DEVELOP SUCH PROGRAMS. LOCAL EVALUATIVE EFFORTS ARE PRIMARILY DIRECTED TOWARD THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS OR TOWARD SPECIFIC CASE EVALUATION OF INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS. THE NIAAA PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO STATES IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE STANDARDIZATION OF DATA ELEMENTS AND DEFINITIONS USED IN ALCOHOLISM EVALUATION EFFORTS AND TO HELP STATES ESTABLISH DATA SYSTEMS FOR USE IN THEIR OWN EVALUATION PROGRAMS. THE PURPOSE OF MONITORING AND EVALUATING FEDERALLY FUNDED ALCOHOLISM-TREATMENT PROGRAMS BY THE NIAAA IS TO DETERMINE THE TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF THE PROGRAMS, MONITOR PROGRAM PROGRESS TOWARD STATED OBJECTIVES, AND ASSIST PROGRAMS IN IMPROVING THEIR SERVICES TO PERSONS SUFFERING FROM ALCOHOLISM. THE NIAAA ALCOHOLISM PROGRAM MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEM IS ACTION ORIENTED AND DESIGNED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS. DATA INPUT ELEMENTS TO THE SYSTEM ARE DETERMINED BY THE NEED FOR EVALUATIVE MEASURES RELATED TO PROGRAM OBJECTIVES. INDEXES OF CLIENT OUTCOME PROVIDED BY THE SYSTEM AND USED IN THE EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS INCLUDE THE QUANTITY-FREQUENCY INDEX AND THE IMPAIRMENT INDEX. THE VALIDITY OF OUTCOME MEASURES IS ADDRESSED BY THE SYSTEM. NUMEROUS OTHER EVALUATION EFFORTS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT ENCOMPASS CLIENT FOLLOWUP STUDIES, STATE DATA SYSTEMS, PREVENTION, AND STATE AND LOCAL EVALUATION SYSTEMS. DATA ON THE NIAAA ALCOHOLISM TREATMENT-MONITORING SYSTEM ARE PROVIDED, AND NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)