HELPING THE NATION'S MOST VULNERABLE TO STAY IN SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT

CHICAGO, Feb. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Patients with chronic health conditions benefit by regular medical check-ups. New research suggests that quarterly check-ups can also help members of vulnerable populations to stay in treatment and recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs).

Findings from a recent research study conducted by Chestnut Health Systems™ (Chestnut) are published in the journal Addiction.  

For decades, a public health priority has been for primary care providers to identify and help to manage patients' unhealthy alcohol and drug use. Assessment typically uses SBIRT – Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment – to:

• Quickly evaluate the severity of substance use;
• Identify the appropriate level of treatment;
• Increase insight and awareness about substance use;
• Understand the patient's level of motivation to change their behavior; and
• Provide access to specialty care for patients needing more extensive treatment.

The Chestnut study assessed whether adding a step – Recovery Management Checkups (RMCs) – would result in more patients engaging with and staying in substance use treatment. RMCs are scheduled every calendar quarter. Components include tracking (participants tend to be highly mobile); assessing whether participants are again using substances; facilitating and accelerating the treatment intake process; re-linking individuals to treatment after relapse; and staying in contact to help patients stay motivated and overcome barriers so that they complete at least 14 outpatient sessions or 14 residential treatment days.

At 3-month follow-up, patients receiving SBIRT + RMC were more likely to have gotten treatment than patients receiving SIBRT only. Those patients reported more days of treatment, more days abstinent from substance use, and fewer days of using alcohol and cannabis.

Study participants were patients at four Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in Chicago. FQHCs provide health care access to underserved areas or populations, targeting groups with higher rates of SUD including people who live below the federal poverty line, are unemployed, live in public housing, and/or are homeless. FQHCs care for nearly 15 percent of uninsured patients in the U.S. and nearly 30 percent of those covered by public insurance.

The National Institutes of Health funded the research.

Chestnut Health Systems is a not-for-profit organization that has cared since 1973 for persons needing behavioral health services. Chestnut provides addiction treatment, mental health counseling, primary health care, and housing and supportive services. It is a leader in substance use-related research. More at www.chestnut.org.

SOURCE Chestnut Health Systems