NCJ Number
173626
Date Published
1995
Length
105 pages
Annotation
Maryland's Substance Abuse Management Information System provides data on activity in the statewide treatment network and on trends and patterns of alcohol and other drug use and abuse in the general and regional populations throughout the State for fiscal year 1995.
Abstract
Data on admissions to treatment programs address the demographics and admission status of those presenting for treatment, the substances being abused, and the number of injecting drug abusers. Data on discharges are also provided. Admissions to substance abuse treatment programs exceeded 60,000 during fiscal year 1995, a 6-percent increase over the fiscal year 1994 level. Over 61 percent of the clients admitted to treatment during fiscal year 1995 were graduates of high school and beyond; less than 50 percent of those admitted were employed, and over half of all clients admitted did not have health insurance. The majority of cases were referred through voluntary sources such as self-referrals, substance abuse treatment programs, and other community sources; more than 34 percent of treatment admissions originated in the criminal justice system. Adolescent admissions increased from 5,985 during fiscal year 1994 to 6,813 during fiscal year 1995, with more than 18 percent of all adolescent clients admitted residing in Baltimore City. Alcohol was a factor in more than 67 percent of all fiscal year 1995 treatment admissions, and more than 58 percent of clients entering treatment were using more than one substance. The percentage of clients smoking cocaine in the form of crack increased to more than 60 percent of all cocaine mentions. Heroin use increased from the previous fiscal year, with the rise in inhalation as the mode of administration to over 44 percent of all heroin mentions. More than half of the clients discharged during fiscal year 1995 completed treatment. Generally, clients who completed treatment successfully spent the longest time in treatment. Over 20 percent of clients who were unemployed and seeking employment when they were admitted to treatment had obtained employment by the time of discharge. Dramatic decreases in arrest rates prior to treatment were apparent during treatment. 61 figures, 27 tables, and appended data collection forms