Assessment of drug abuser treatment needs in Rhode Island.
BACKGROUND
Rhode Island's Division of Substance Abuse asked us to assess the State's drug treatment needs and make recommendations regarding its treatment system for the next three years.


METHODS
We used a statewide telephone drug use survey of 5,176 households supplemented by drug-related hospital discharges, Division of Drug Control statistics, and interviews with providers, state officials, and out-of-state experts. Drug abuse was measured with items from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Abusers were asked if they were receiving or wanted to receive treatment.


RESULTS
Survey responses, used to estimate the unmet need for drug treatment, indicated a need to triple drug treatment services. Regression models using survey data indicated that the treatment network was overly centralized in the Providence area. Interviews with state officials, clinicians, and out-of-state experts provided material for recommendations on reimbursement policy, treatment mix, quality assurance, and cost containment.


CONCLUSIONS
The RI Department of Health's certificate-of-need program adopted our overall recommendation for tripling the drug treatment system as its guideline in evaluating proposals for new treatment facilities. With State funding of a new adolescent center and expansion of outpatient slots in the private sector, this recommendation has now been fully implemented.
McAuliffe
W E
WE
Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge Hospital, MA 02139.
Breer
P
P
Ahmadifar
N W
NW
Spino
C
C
D000662:Amphetamines; D002188:Cannabis; D003625:Data Collection; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D009294:Narcotics; D012237:Rhode Island; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*
D000662:Amphetamines; D009294:Narcotics