Skip Navigation
acfbanner  
ACF
Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families
          
ACF Home   |   Services   |   Working with ACF   |   Policy/Planning   |   About ACF   |   ACF News   |   HHS Home

  Questions?  |  Privacy  |  Site Index  |  Contact Us  |  Download Reader™Download Reader  |  Print Print      

Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation (OPRE) skip to primary page content
Advanced
Search

 Table of Contents | Previous | Next

CHAPTER 4

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND TREATMENT NEEDS

The majority of the substance abuse sample used two or more substances. Figure 4.A reports on which substance represented the most significant problem based on the largest number of dependence symptoms. The overwhelming majority of the sample, 73%, had a primary hard drug use problem: either heroin or cocaine. It should be noted that almost all of the primary opiate users snorted heroin. Injecting opiate users were typically excluded from the sample because these women were seeking methadone maintenance treatment.

Figure 4.A Primary Substance Use Problem
[D]

 

Figure 4.B presents the average number of days of heavy drinking (defined as drinking to intoxication) or illicit drug use in the last month. On average, the sample drank or used drugs about two-thirds of the time or 19 days in the last month, with hard drug use accounting for the largest category of use days.

Figure 4.B Days Drank or Used Drugs in Last Month
[D]

 

Figure 4.C presents the percent of the sample who drank heavily or used drugs regularly for a period of at least one year. The majority of the sample were regular heavy drinkers or drug users, about 2 out of 3 women reported using cocaine regularly and 50% reported using heroin regularly.

Figure 4.C Regular Heavy Drinking and Drug Use
[D]

 

Figure 4.D presents findings of the number of years of regular heavy drinking or drug use for those who reported regular use. On average, periods of regular use ranged from 8 to 14 years suggesting that most of the sample had experienced extended periods of regular use.

Figure 4.D Years of Regular Drinking and Drug Use
[D]

 

Figure 4.E presents data on prior treatment for an alcohol or drug use problem. Only half of the sample had received any substance abuse counseling other than detoxification, 20% had received only detoxification, and 30% had received no prior treatment.

Figure 4.E Alcohol and Drug Treatment History
[D]

 

Figure 4.F reports recommended levels of intensity of treatment based on ratings of problem severity using ASAM placement criteria. Overall, women required intensive treatment placements. About 1 in 3 women required some inpatient care prior to placement in outpatient treatment. Inpatient care typically involved hospital detoxification or placement in a short-term residential program. The majority of women (65%) were placed initially in intensive outpatient treatment typically consisting of 20-35 hours a week of outpatient counseling.

Overall, women in the substance abuse sample reported serious and chronic substance abuse problems. Most were addicted to heroin or cocaine. On average women drank heavily or used drugs frequently prior to screening and had extensive histories of prior substance abuse. Women required intensive treatment placements to address their problems including one-third who required inpatient treatment. Despite the severity of substance abuse problems, half of women had not received prior substance abuse counseling.

Figure 4.F Recommended Substance Abuse Treatment (ASAM Level of Care)
[D]

 



 

 

 Table of Contents | Previous | Next