title: Access to drug abuse treatment under Treatment on Demand policy in San Francisco.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated whether implementation of Treatment on Demand (TOD) policy in San Francisco was associated with improved access to drug abuse treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data came from San Francisco's treatment program waiting list over 4 years spanning the implementation of TOD policy. Access measures were monthly applicants waiting and days waited by treatment admissions. Quantitative analyses with 69 treatment facilities contrasted those receiving vs. not receiving TOD funds. Qualitative data came from interviews with facility administrators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a small statistically significant decline in monthly waiting lists in the number of people waiting for treatment during the study period. The days waited by those admitted to treatment, however, significantly increased in TOD-funded facilities. Facilities used varied criteria for completing the access measures, which limit the utility of the measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Access to treatment improved slightly with implementation of TOD policy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Fransico, San Francisco General Hospital, California 94110, USA. James.Sorensen@UCSF.edu
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sorensen
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guydish
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zilavy
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gleghorn
authors.forename: Marvin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jacoby
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sears
mesh_terms: D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012495:San Francisco; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014850:Waiting Lists