This application for an R21 Exploratory/Developmental study is submitted in response to two program announcements: PA-01-142, Health Services Research on Alcohol-Related Problems and PA-02-072, Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences. The application is to examine the links between established alcohol and other drug (AOD) performance measures and treatment outcomes in a public sector health care system. This project builds on previous work by the proposed research team that helped to develop the Washington Circle Group (WCG) performance measures. The team has tested these measures in commercial managed care plans, in the proposed study, the project team plans to expand the focus to include public sector provision of AOD services. The study will shed light on how to improve accountability for delivery of AOD treatment services in public health care systems.
The specific aims of this proposal are to: 1) Use a state database to test the feasibility of a subset of the WCG performance measures for alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in the public sector. We will use data secondary data from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Service (ODMHSAS), which has the capability of linking its administrative data set to various other state agency data, resulting in a very rich data source. 2) Evaluate the relationship between the adherence to these measures and client outcomes. We will calculate the WCG performance measures and compare the outcomes for clients who adhere to the performance measures and those who do not. 3) Explore with additional states, the data structure of their administrative data and possible links to other agencies in their states. Our goal is to develop a data set rich enough to support testing the WCG performance measures and their relationship to outcomes in states that represent larger and more diverse populations.
| Acevedo, Andrea; Garnick, Deborah W; Lee, Margaret T et al. (2012) Racial and ethnic differences in substance abuse treatment initiation and engagement. J Ethn Subst Abuse 11:1-21 |
| Garnick, Deborah W; Lee, Margaret T; Horgan, Constance M et al. (2009) Adapting Washington Circle performance measures for public sector substance abuse treatment systems. J Subst Abuse Treat 36:265-77 |
| Garnick, Deborah W; Horgan, Constance M; Lee, Margaret T et al. (2007) Are Washington Circle performance measures associated with decreased criminal activity following treatment? J Subst Abuse Treat 33:341-52 |
