2004 Treatment Discharges:  Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS)

Chapter 5
Short-Term Residential Treatment Discharges: 2004

Chapter 5 presents data on the reasons for discharge and length of stay (LOS) in treatment for the 78,423 linked admission/discharge records of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment in 2004 in 25 States [Table 5.1].

Table 5.1 and Figure 5.1 present the distribution of reasons for discharge for discharges from short-term residential treatment. Overall, 48,222 (61 percent) of short-term residential treatment discharges completed treatment, 11,189 (14 percent) were transferred to further treatment, 11,025 (14 percent) dropped out of treatment, 4,906 (6 percent) had treatment terminated by the facility, and 3,081 (4 percent) failed to complete treatment for other reasons.* Table 5.1 also presents reasons for discharge by State.

* Percentages do not sum to 100 percent because of rounding.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Figure 5.2, Table 2.5, and Appendix Table C.4. The median LOS for short-term residential treatment was 20 days. The average (mean) LOS was longer, 26 days (standard deviation, 49). The average LOS was longer than the median LOS for most reasons for discharge for most client characteristics.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Short-term residential clients who completed treatment remained in treatment longer than clients who did not complete treatment. Among treatment completers, median LOS was 25 days, and among clients transferred to further treatment, it was 19 days. Among clients who dropped out of treatment, the median LOS was 7 days; among those whose treatment was terminated by the facility, it was 14 days; and among those who failed to complete treatment for other reasons, the median LOS was 10 days.

In comparison with all discharges combined, clients discharged from short-term residential treatment were more likely:

• to be non-Hispanic White (67 percent, compared to 59 percent of all discharges);
• to report daily use of the primary substance (53 percent, compared to 40 percent of all discharges); and
• to have been referred to treatment by another substance abuse treatment provider (20 percent, compared to 9 percent of all discharges).

• to report no use of the primary substance in the month before treatment entry (12 percent, compared to 26 percent of all discharges); or
• to have been referred to treatment through the criminal justice system (23 percent, compared to 37 percent of all discharges).

Demographics

Tables 5.2-5.4 and Figures 5.3-5.5. Two-thirds of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment were male (67 percent). The peak age group at admission was 30 to 39 years (29 percent of all short-term residential treatment discharges), followed by ages 20 to 29 (28 percent). Twenty-six percent were ages 40 to 49, and 8 percent each were ages 15 to 19 and age 50 and older. One percent was younger than age 15. Most clients discharged from short-term residential treatment were non-Hispanic White (67 percent), while 21 percent were non-Hispanic Black, 7 percent were of Hispanic origin, and 5 percent were of other racial/ethnic groups.

Table 5.2 and Figure 5.3. Males had a higher combined rate of short-term residential treatment completion or transfer to further treatment (77 percent) than did females (74 percent). Among short-term residential treatment completers, the median LOS for males and females was similar (24 days and 25 days, respectively).

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Table 5.3 and Figure 5.4. Clients in the older age groups were more likely either to complete short-term residential treatment or to be transferred to further treatment than clients in the younger age groups. The combined rate was 63 percent among clients who were younger than age 15. It rose to 84 percent among those who were age 50 and older.

The median LOS among short-term residential treatment completers was longest (29 days) among those who were younger than age 15 and decreased to 23 days to 24 days in the age groups 30 to 39 years and older.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Table 5.4 and Figure 5.5. The combined rate of completion or transfer to further treatment did not differ according to race/ethnicity, and was 75 percent to 76 percent for non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and for discharges of Hispanic origin.

The median LOS among short-term residential treatment completers was longest (27 days) among discharges of Hispanic origin and shortest (24 days each) for non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Primary Substance

Table 5.5 and Figure 5.6. Thirty-eight percent of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment reported alcohol as their primary substance of abuse at admission. Cocaine was reported by 22 percent, opiates by 15 percent, stimulants by 12 percent, marijuana by 11 percent, and other substances by 2 percent.

Clients who reported alcohol as their primary substance had the highest combined rate of short-term residential treatment completion or transfer to further treatment (82 percent). The combined rate was lowest for clients who reported opiates as their primary substance (69 percent).

Clients who reported marijuana as their primary substance had the longest median LOS for the major substances of abuse (alcohol, cocaine, opiates, stimulants, and marijuana) among short-term residential treatment completers (28 days), and clients who reported alcohol had the shortest (22 days).

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Frequency of Use

Table 5.6 and Figure 5.7. Fifty-three percent of short-term residential treatment discharges reported daily use of their primary substance in the month before entering treatment, while 12 percent reported no use in that period.

Clients with less frequent substance use before treatment entry were somewhat more likely either to complete short-term residential treatment or to be transferred to further treatment than were clients with more frequent use. The combined rate fell from between 76 percent and 80 percent among those who reported less than daily primary substance use to 72 percent among those who reported daily use.

The median LOS among short-term residential treatment completers displayed no consistent pattern with frequency of primary substance use in the month before entering treatment and was between 21 days and 28 days.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Age at First Use

Table 5.7 and Figure 5.8. Sixty-two percent of short-term residential discharges first used their primary substance by age 18. The peak age at first use was 15 to 16 years (19 percent of short-term residential treatment discharges). Sixteen percent did not begin use until they were over age 25.

The combined rate of short-term residential treatment completion or transfer to further treatment displayed no consistent pattern with age at first use of the primary substance and was between 74 percent and 76 percent.

The median LOS for short-term residential treatment completers displayed no consistent pattern with age at first use of the primary substance and was between 23 days and 25 days.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Prior Treatment

Table 5.8 and Figure 5.9. Over one-third (36 percent) of short-term residential treatment discharges had never been in treatment before, while 9 percent had been in treatment five or more times previously.

The combined rate of short-term residential treatment completion or transfer to further treatment displayed no consistent pattern with the number of prior treatment episodes and was between 75 percent and 77 percent.

The median LOS among short-term residential treatment completers displayed no consistent pattern with the number of prior treatment episodes and was between 23 days and 26 days.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Treatment Referral Source

Table 5.9 and Figure 5.10. Thirty-six percent of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment were self- or individual referrals, and 23 percent were referred to treatment through the criminal justice system. Referrals from substance abuse treatment providers made up 20 percent, community referrals 11 percent, health care providers 8 percent, employers 1 percent, and schools less than 1 percent.*

The combined rates of short-term residential treatment completion or transfer to further treatment were above the short-term residential treatment average of 76 percent for those referred to treatment through the criminal justice system (79 percent) or by a substance abuse treatment provider (78 percent). The combined rates were below average for self- or individual referrals (73 percent) and for referrals by schools (66 percent).

The median LOS among short-term residential treatment completers was longest (27 days) among clients referred through the criminal justice system and community sources. The median LOS for self- or individual referrals was 25 days. The median LOS for short-term residential treatment completers referred by other sources was between 18 days and 26 days.

* Percentages do not sum to 100 percent because of rounding.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Employment Status

Table 5.10 and Figure 5.11. Forty-three percent of clients age 16 and older discharged from short-term residential treatment were not in the labor force. Thirty-eight percent were unemployed, and 19 percent were employed either full time or part time.

Clients who were employed were more likely either to complete short-term residential treatment or to be transferred to further treatment than were clients who were unemployed or not in the labor force. The combined rates were highest among those employed full time (82 percent) or part time (79 percent). The combined rates fell to 75 percent among those who were not in the labor force and 74 percent among those who were unemployed.

The median LOS among short-term residential treatment completers displayed no consistent pattern with employment status and was between 21 days and 27 days.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

Education

Table 5.11 and Figure 5.12. Forty-five percent of clients age 18 and older discharged from short-term residential treatment had 12 years of education or a GED. Twenty-six percent had more than 12 years of education, 24 percent had 9 to 11 years of education, and 5 percent had 8 years of education or less.

Clients with more education were more likely either to complete short-term residential treatment or to be transferred to further treatment than were clients with less education. The combined rate was highest among those with more than 12 years of education (81 percent). It fell to 71 percent among clients with less than 8 years of education.

The median LOS among discharges completing short-term residential treatment displayed no consistent pattern with level of education and was between 22 days and 25 days.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 2.1.2006.

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This page was last updated on June 03, 2008 .

SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.