Department of Health Services - Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

The Division should focus on three strategies that improve substance abuse treatment outcomes and hold treatment providers more accountable for consumer outcomes. The strategies are: (1) retaining consumers in programs longer, (2) providing a continuum of care to meet consumers’ changing levels of need, and (3) using evidence-based practices, which are therapies that research has proven to have positive effects. The Division can also hold Regional Behavioral Health Authorities (RBHAs) more accountable for treatment outcomes by setting performance goals and establishing incentives for meeting the goals. Further, the Division can improve oversight of outcomes and costs by reviewing high- and low-dollar-cost services according to individual users, treatment categories, and among RBHAs. It should also consider how to best use assessment and case management to contain costs.