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| October 18, 2002 |
Primary Focus of Facilities Treating Substance Abuse |
| In Brief |
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| The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services
(N-SSATS) is an annual survey of all facilities in the United States, both
public and private, that provide substance abuse treatment. The 2000 N-SSATS
asked facilities to categorize the primary focus of the facility as substance
abuse treatment services, mental health services, a mix of mental health
and substance abuse treatment services (neither primary), general health
care, or some other primary focus. Facilities responding were asked to complete
a detailed checklist of services available, which were broadly characterized
as: assessment services, therapy, testing, health services, continuing care,
transitional services, community outreach, and other services. Of the 13,428 treatment facilities responding to N-SSATS, the primary focus of activity was:
Ownership Ownership status of facilities was similar regardless of the primary focus. Approximately 58 percent of facilities were owned by private non-profit organizations, 27 percent of facilities by private for-profit organizations, 9 percent by local governments, 3 percent by State governments, 2 percent by the Federal government, and 1 percent by tribal governments (data not shown). Sources of Payment Facilities were asked whether they accepted specific forms of payment for substance abuse treatment (cash or self-payment, private health insurance, State-financed health insurance, Federal military insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or none of the specified payment types). Most facilities, regardless of primary focus, accepted cash or self-payment (Figure 1). Facilities with a mental health focus were most likely to accept each form of payment, ranging from 95 percent that accepted cash or self-payment to 53 percent that accepted State-financed health insurance. Facilities with a substance abuse focus were the least likely to accept each form of payment, ranging from 90 percent that accepted cash or self-payment to 24 percent that accepted Medicare. About one quarter each of facilities with a mental health focus and mixed-focus facilities accepted all the specified forms of payment (Figure 2). In contrast, only 7 percent of facilities with a substance abuse focus accepted all the specified forms of payment.
Managed Care Facilities with a mixed focus were most likely to have managed care agreements (65 percent), and facilities with a substance abuse focus were least likely to have such agreements (49 percent) (data not shown). Some 60 percent of facilities with a mental health focus had managed care agreements. Payment Assistance A sliding fee scale was used by 67 percent of facilities with a substance abuse focus, by 66 percent of facilities with a mental health focus, and by 73 percent of mixed-focus facilities (data not shown). Payment assistance for substance abuse treatment other than a sliding fee scale was offered by 32 percent of facilities with a mental health focus, 39 percent of facilities with a substance abuse focus, and by 41 percent of mixed-focus facilities. Special Groups Served Facilities with a mixed focus were most likely to provide programs for special groups: 88 percent provided programs for at least one special group (Figure 3). Approximately 83 percent of facilities with a substance abuse focus provided programs for at least one special group, as did 78 percent of facilities with a mental health focus. More than one-fifth (22 percent) of mixed-focus facilities provided five or more programs for special groups compared with 11 percent of facilities with a mental health focus. Programs for dually diagnosed clients (i.e., clients with both a substance abuse and psychiatric diagnosis) were most common among facilities with a mixed focus (Table 1). Among facilities with a substance abuse focus the most commonly offered programs were for women (other than pregnant/postpartum women) (42 percent) and for dually diagnosed clients (39 percent). Facilities with a mental health focus most commonly offered programs for dually diagnosed clients (66 percent) and for adolescents (34 percent). |
| Figure 3. Percent of Facilities Providing a Specified Number of Special Programs, by Primary Focus: 2000 | Table 1. Percent of Facilities with Programs for Special Groups, by Primary Focus: 2000 | ||
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| Source: 2000 SAMHSA National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment (N-SSATS). |
| The Drug and Alcohol Services Information System (DASIS) is an
integrated data system maintained by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). One component of
DASIS is the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS),
an annual survey of all facilities in the United States, both public and
private, that provide substance abuse treatment. N-SSATS was formerly known
as the Uniform Facility Data Set (UFDS). The DASIS Report is prepared by the Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA; Synectics for Management Decisions, Inc., Arlington, Virginia; and RTI, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Information and data for this report are based on data reported to N-SSATS for the survey reference date October 1, 2000. www.oas.samhsa.gov/dasis.htm Access the latest TEDS public use files at:
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov |
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The DASIS Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA. Additional copies of this report may be downloaded from Other reports from the Office of Applied Studies are also available on-line at the OAS home page: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov. |
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This page was last updated on December 31, 2008. |
