An organizational analysis of service patterns in outpatient drug abuse treatment units.
The effectiveness of drug abuse treatment depends in part on meeting clients' medical and social needs related to drug abuse. Yet, we know little about the type and amount of medical and social services that clients receive in outpatient drug abuse treatment units. This article addresses this issue, drawing from conceptual perspectives in organizational theory and using data from a national random sample of 481 outpatient treatment units that participated in a phone survey in both 1988 and 1990. We examine the extent to which clients in these units receive: physical (medical) and mental health care; special treatment for multiple drug abuse; and employment, financial, and legal counseling. Results from a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicate that there was a significant decrease from 1988 to 1990 in all services we examined. Regression analyses were conducted to identify organizational and client characteristics related to these decreases. Results show that changes in both client characteristics and key organizational factors (e.g., resources, staffing) are significantly related to decreases in the services clients receive. Implications for meeting the medical and social service needs of drug abuse clients are discussed.
D'Aunno
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Univesity of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, IL 60637, USA.
Vaughn
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D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003042:Cocaine; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014481:United States
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D003042:Cocaine; D008691:Methadone