Methadone Treatment Quality Assurance System (MTQAS): A Federal Effort To Assess the Feasibility of Using Outcome Indicators for Methadone Treatment

• NCJ Number: 165460
• Journal: Journal of Maintenance in the Addictions Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (1997) Pages: 11-24
• Author(s): D Czechowicz; R L Hubbard; C D Phillips; D L Fountain; J R Cooper; S P Molinari; J W Luckey; L A Graham
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 14 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

The Methadone Treatment Quality Assurance System (MTQAS) project is a feasibility study to inform the provider community, researchers, policymakers, and other experts on whether a performance-based quality assurance approach can be implemented in narcotic addiction treatment programs.

Abstract

The research is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and conducted by the Research Triangle Institute with assistance from the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors. The study will determine the types of client outcome indicators that can be used as the basis for a system for measuring treatment program performance. The study is focusing on six issues: outcome indicators, client information, operational problems, the use of performance-based monitoring to modify the current Federal regulatory structure for treatment programs, the structuring of performance feedback, and the relationship between program performance and compliance with Federal methadone regulations. The project has produced a useful assessment instrument for use in quality assurance. The project's current phase is a field test of the data collection procedures in 25 programs. 9 references