NCJ Number
162796
Journal
Substance Use and Misuse Volume: 31 Issue: 7 Dated: (1996) Pages: 895-926
Date Published
1996
Length
32 pages
Annotation
A nationally representative sample of 330 outpatient drug treatment programs was surveyed in 1990 to determine whether outpatient drug treatment organizations have different outcomes for court-mandated and voluntary clients depending on the mix of clients.
Abstract
The analysis also focused on whether client characteristics, organizational factors, and treatment practices predict organizational treatment outcome rates. The programs surveyed were all nonmethadone programs. Results revealed that 64 of the organizations had 75 percent or more court-mandated clients; 122 organizations had 25 percent or fewer court-mandated clients. Organizations with 75 percent or more court-mandated clients had a greater rate of client failure to comply with their treatment plans than organizations with 25 percent or fewer court-mandated clients, but no differences existed in clients' meeting treatment goals. The attitude of the organization's clinical supervisor regarding the relevance of court-mandates to treatment success was crucial to successful treatment outcomes. Staff development efforts that acknowledged the distinctiveness of court-mandated clients were important predictors of treatment effectiveness. Findings also suggested that court-mandated clients should have a limited voice or control over their actual treatment regimen. Findings indicated that court-mandated clients respond to certain forms of therapy and that more group therapy sessions over the course of treatment are associated with more outcome success and less outcome failure. Results suggested that a possible way to reduce treatment failure among court-mandated clients is to avoid treating them and voluntary clients identically. Tables and 56 references (Author abstract modified)