Survey Paints Picture of Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities

On any given day, approximately 1 million people are receiving treatment for drug or alcohol addiction, according to SAMHSA's National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services for the year 2000. The large majority of these clients (89 percent) were enrolled in some type of outpatient care.

The purpose of the annual survey, conducted by SAMHSA's Office of Applied Studies, is to collect data on the location, characteristics, and use of alcoholism and drug treatment facilities and services throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions. A total of 13,428 facilities (94 percent of eligible facilities) participated in the survey. The survey was conducted on October 1, 2000.

Nearly half (48 percent) of all clients were in treatment for both alcohol and drug abuse. Twenty-nine percent of clients were in treatment for drug abuse only, while the remaining 23 percent were in treatment for alcohol abuse only.

Nine percent of those in addiction treatment were in residential rehabilitation. The remaining three categories (residential detoxification, hospital inpatient rehabilitation, and hospital inpatient detoxification) together accounted for 2 percent of clients.

In 2000, private non-profit facilities made up the bulk of the system (60 percent), followed by private for-profit (26 percent), and state and local government (11 percent). Outpatient rehabilitation was the most widely available type of care, with non-intensive outpatient rehabilitation offered by 78 percent of all facilities and intensive outpatient treatment offered by 46 percent. Residential rehabilitation was offered by 26 percent of all facilities. Partial hospitalization programs were offered by 16 percent of facilities, and outpatient detoxification by 13 percent. Residential detoxification and hospital inpatient treatment (either detoxification or rehabilitation) were each offered by 8 percent of all facilities.

The vast majority of facilities (95 percent) treated both alcohol and drug abuse. They also offered treatment programs designed to address the specific needs of certain groups. These groups include dually diagnosed people (persons with mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse), adolescents, persons with HIV/AIDS, older adults, and pregnant or postpartum women. Special programs may also be designed for groups of men or women (other than pregnant or postpartum women), or persons in the criminal justice system. Many facilities offered treatment for persons arrested while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI).

Overall, half (50 percent) of all facilities provide programs for dually diagnosed people. About 37 percent of facilities offered programs for adolescents. About one-fifth (22 percent) of facilities offered programs for persons with HIV/AIDS. Programs for pregnant or postpartum women were offered by 21 percent of facilities. Programs for other women's groups were provided by 38 percent of facilities. Programs for men only were provided by 33 percent of all facilities. Eighteen percent of all facilities provided programs for seniors or older adults. Thirty-eight percent of all facilities offered programs for persons in the criminal justice system. Special programs for those arrested for DUI/DWI were offered by 36 percent of all facilities.

The number of facilities that had managed care contracts continued to increase. More than half (54 percent) of all facilities had managed care contracts in 2000, as compared to 42 percent in 1996.

To obtain a copy of the report, National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS): 2000, Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities, contact SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847. Telephone: 1 (800) 729-6686 (English and Spanish) or 1 (800) 487-4889 (TDD). The report can also be viewed from the SAMHSA Web site at oas.samhsa.gov/newpubs.htm.

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