Computerized Instrument for Client Treatment Matching

The high dropout rates across all treatment modalities for drug abuse suggests the need for abetter system of matching the client to the treatment. To date, there are no objective measuresstandardized for drug abusing populations to help outreach, referral and treatment agencies determinewhich drug abusers are ready for treatment and which treatment that is most likely to retain them longenough for treatment to become effective. This Phase I application tests the feasibility of developinga computer assisted client treatment matching instrument for use in the treatment of drug abuse thatwill indicate motivation for change, readiness for treatment, and match clients with one of the fivetreatment modalities: heroin detox, methadone maintenance, outpatient, and short term (6 month) andlong term (l year or more) therapeutic community (TC). The new instrument will be useful to centralreferral agencies, health and social welfare agencies, hospital emergency rooms, the courts, outreachprograms, and multimodal treatment modalities.