title: Integrated employee assistance program/managed behavioral health plan utilization by persons with substance use disorders.
abstract: New federal parity and health reform legislation, promising increased behavioral health care access and a focus on prevention, has heightened interest in employee assistance programs (EAPs). This study investigated service utilization by persons with a primary substance use disorder (SUD) diagnosis in a managed behavioral health care (MBHC) organization's integrated EAP/MBHC product (N = 1,158). In 2004, 25.0% of clients used the EAP first for new treatment episodes. After initial EAP utilization, 44.4% received no additional formal services through the plan, and 40.4% received regular outpatient services. Overall, outpatient care, intensive outpatient/day treatment, and inpatient/residential detoxification were most common. About half of the clients had co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses. Mental health service utilization was extensive. Findings suggest that for service users with primary SUD diagnoses in an integrated EAP/MBHC product, the EAP benefit plays a key role at the front end of treatment and is often only one component of treatment episodes.
authors.affiliation: Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454-9110, USA. merrick@brandeis.edu
authors.forename: Elizabeth S Levy
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Merrick
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hodgkin
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hiatt
authors.forename: Constance M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Horgan
authors.forename: Shelly F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Greenfield
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McCann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult