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Office of the Assistant Secretary |
Policy Information Center |
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
MISSION: To improve the quality and availability of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services for substance abuse and mental illness.
Evaluation Program
The
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is committed
to evaluating its overall programs and individual grant projects to assess the
effectiveness of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation approaches and
systems of care; the accountability of Federal funds; and the achievement of
SAMHSA's programmatic and policy objectives.
To the greatest extent appropriate and feasible, SAMHSA encourages the use of comparable data elements and instruments across its evaluations in order to work toward a comprehensive evaluation system and to minimize respondent burden.
SAMHSA conducts grant programs under a variety of legislative authorities. These authorities can generally be grouped into two types: (1) services and (2) knowledge development and application (KDA). The evaluation required for a particular grant program is dependent on the type and purpose of the program. SAMHSA evaluates each of its service programs so as to provide information to program managers about the accountability of Federal funds. In addition, the evaluations of KDA programs will generate new knowledge to lead the field in the development of policies that improve services.
The two types of grant programs (service delivery and KDA) represent the two facets of SAMHSA's mission. SAMHSA's leadership in the field depends on the successful interaction of these two facets. Through KDAs, SAMHSA must identify effective approaches to prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. Through service delivery funds, SAMHSA must provide incentives to the field to implement effective approaches. Major emphases of SAMHSA's mission are to develop, identify, and disseminate effective strategies and systems for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
SAMHSA is implementing an integrated model of evaluation and planning. Strategic planning identifies priorities, such as managed care, that drive the development of grant programs and evaluations. In compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), SAMHSA is improving performance management by identifying annual performance objectives and measures. The formulation of programmatic and evaluation priorities includes consultation with SAMHSA, Center Advisory Councils, and with other experts in the fields of evaluation and service delivery. Early and continuous coordination of program planning and evaluation design will result in the articulation of program objectives that may be evaluated. Evaluations will demonstrate the extent to which the grant programs have achieved their overall objectives, and SAMHSA will translate these results into information that can be used for program and policy development. The strategic planning and policy development processes will then use these results to refine SAMHSA's priorities and performance objectives.
This evaluation policy will help SAMHSA achieve its goal of continually informing policy and program development with knowledge culled from past performance. In this way, SAMHSA can best serve its customers by enhancing the quality of publicly-funded substance abuse and mental health services.
In compliance with the Public Health Service (PHS) guidelines for the technical review of evaluations, SAMHSA has established a standing committee of PHS staff who are evaluation specialists. Representatives of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation serve as ex officio members of the committee. The SAMHSA evaluation officer is the committee chair. The committee does not generally review the evaluation proposals of individual grantees; rather, it reviews proposals for broader, more comprehensive evaluations, such as the cross-project evaluations of grant programs.
Evaluation project proposals are generally prepared by SAMHSA program staff in the various Centers. The standing committee reviews each proposal on the following criteria: clarity of evaluation objectives and research questions, appropriateness and feasibility of the specifications for evaluation design and methods, appropriateness of the plans for dissemination of results, and use of previous relevant evaluations and existing program data systems. Each proposal must clearly state the relationship of the evaluation to SAMHSA's overall policies, priorities, and evaluation program.
Summary of Fiscal Year 1998 Evaluations
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TITLE: Services Research Outcomes Study
ABSTRACT: The Services Research Outcomes Study (SROS), the first nationally representative study of substance abuse treatment outcomes, confirms that both drug use and criminal behavior are reduced following drug abuse treatment--inpatient, outpatient and residential. The purpose of the study was to determine whether or not drug treatments are effective. These findings were determined through a survey of 1,799 (71.4 percent male and 28.6 percent female) persons. Substance abuse histories on each of the clients were provided by a nationwide sample of 99 drug treatment facilities. All 1,799 clients were interviewed five years following discharge from drug abuse treatment and are representative of the 976,012 individuals discharged from treatment in 1990. The SROS is the first among a series of outcome studies to include a nationally representative sample of drug treatment programs located in rural, suburban and urban locations. Major findings include: (1) the overall drop in the use of any illicit drug following treatment was 21 percent; (2) the decrease in post-treatment substance abuse was larger among females than males; (3) adolescents were the exception, showing a 13 percent increase in alcohol abuse and a 202 percent increase in crack use following treatment; and (4) those remaining in treatment the longest were more likely to reduce or eliminate abuse of substances following treatment. Further findings include the impact of substance abuse treatment on criminal behavior and lifestyle changes.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Office of the Administrator
FEDERAL CONTACT: Barbara Ray, Ph.D.
PHONE NUMBER: 301-443-0747
PIC ID: 7036
PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: National Opinion Research Center (NORC) Chicago, IL
TITLE: Outcome Evaluation for the Community Partnership Program
ABSTRACT: This 48-community study was the largest Federally-funded, community-based substance abuse prevention and health promotion trial ever conducted. This rigorous, large-scale evaluation collected outcome data from a random sample of more than 83,000 adults and youth (i.e. 8th and 10th graders). The primary objective of this study was to determine if community partnerships are an effective means by which to prevent substance abuse among both young people and adults. Using both sophisticated analyses and field-based case studies, researchers compared the outcomes of 24 community partnership programs funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), with 24 comparison communities without partnerships. The study identified the following characteristics of effective community partnerships: (1) a comprehensive, widely-shared vision, (2) a strong core of committed partners, (3) an inclusive and broad-based membership, (4) avoidance or resolution of severe conflict, (5) decentralized units that encourage implementing prevention programs, (6) low staff turnover, and (7) extensive prevention activities and support for local prevention policies. The report also found that community partnerships also promoted environmental change by: (1) supporting local policies aimed at reducing drug availability or increasing penalties for drug use; (2) influencing coverage of local events by mass media to emphasize constructive and positive images of local life; (3) coordinating a comprehensive array of services that are delivered in a "one-stop" shopping model; and (4) using slogans, posters, billboards, T-shirts, cultural events, and hotlines to raise community awareness of the hazards of drug use. (Final report and appendices bound separately; variously paginated.)
AGENCY SPONSOR: Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
FEDERAL CONTACT: Shakeh Kaftarian, Ph.D.
PHONE NUMBER: 301-443-9136
PIC ID: 4997
PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: Cosmos Corporation Bethesda, MD
Evaluations in Progress
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TITLE: National Evaluation Data and Technical Assistance Center
ABSTRACT: The National Evaluation Data and Technical Assistance Center (NEDTAC) provides a variety of centralized data management and analysis services in support of the evaluation of several large demonstrations targeted to special populations including criminal justice, women, rural, and culturally distinct and adolescent populations. NEDTAC represents part of an overall evaluation strategy that builds upon prior findings and seeks to identify a set of consistent evaluation questions that can be applied across similar substance abuse treatment programs targeted to special populations. It seeks to identify data elements to provide uniform information across sites so that comparisons of effectiveness can be made. A variety of reports encompassing program results as well as technical and methodological topics will be produced.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
FEDERAL CONTACT: Ron Smith, Ph.D.
PHONE NUMBER: 301-443-7730
PIC ID: 5994
PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: Caliber Associates Fairfax, VA
PROJECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: 5/20/99
TITLE: State Substance Abuse Managed Care Evaluation Program
ABSTRACT: The State Substance Abuse Managed Care Evaluation Project will evaluate the effects of managed care on mental health and substance abuse services in five States. Each of these five State studies will inform future behavioral health care policy.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
FEDERAL CONTACT: Joan Dilonardo
PHONE NUMBER: 301-443-8555
PIC ID: 6454
PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: Brandeis University Waltham, MA
PROJECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: 12/1/00
TITLE: Treatment Improvement Protocols Field Evaluation
ABSTRACT: The purpose of TIPs is to transfer protocols and guidelines for the treatment of alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse from acknowledged clinical, evaluation and administrative experts to the nation's AOD treatment field. Institution of a field evaluation is needed to: (1) assess the extent to which target audiences realize, read and implement TIPs; (2) learn ways to strengthen the development, formatting, marketing, dissemination, use and evaluation of TIPs to ensure effective use of future Federal resources devoted to TIPs.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
FEDERAL CONTACT: Kevin Mulvey, Ph.D.
PHONE NUMBER: 301-443-9472
PIC ID: 6737
PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: Johnson, Bassin and Shaw, Inc. Silver Spring, MD
PROJECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: 9/1/01
TITLE: Evaluation of Opioid Treatment Program Accreditation Project
ABSTRACT: The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and other federal agencies are developing a regulatory framework for opioid substitution therapy that will change the current regulatory system for monitoring opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to an accreditation/regulatory approach. Over a five year period, CSAT will conduct and evaluate a phase-in program to obtain information that will aid in the full implementation of the new system.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
FEDERAL CONTACT:, Herman Diesenhaus, Ph.D.
PHONE NUMBER: 301-443-6575
PIC ID: 6739
PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: Research Triangle Institute Research Triangle Park, NC
PROJECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: 9/29/02
TITLE: Persistent Effects of Treatment Studies (PETS)
ABSTRACT: The purpose of PETS is to evaluate the long-term effectiveness (up to thirty-six months) of substance abuse treatment services provided through a series of CSAT grants and cooperative agreements, and to conduct a number of special studies and policy analyses that address specific drugs of abuse, methods of treatment, populations, or policy issues. The primary follow-up studies will involve obtaining information at selected follow-up periods for persons who have completed the index treatment episode and for whom historical, intake and treatment exit data are available.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
FEDERAL CONTACT: Roger Straw, Ph.D.
PHONE NUMBER: 301-443-3706
PIC ID: 6738
PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: Westat, Inc. Rockville, MD
PROJECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: 9/30/02
TITLE: Evaluation of High Risk Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Initiatives Funded in 1994 and 1995
ABSTRACT: This project is designed to conduct an evaluation of the 48 High Risk Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Initiatives funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) in 1994 and 1995, especially in regard to the following areas: (1) female adolescents, (2) high risk youth (HRY), and (3) replication of model programs for the prevention of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) use among high risk youth. The purpose of the evaluation is to: (1) assess the impact of all programs in preventing or reducing the use of ATOD among youth at high risk for such behaviors, and (2) assess the effectiveness of specified intervention strategies in reducing the risk factors or enhancing the protective factors on which the specific programs are focused.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
FEDERAL CONTACT: Soledad Sambrano, Ph.D.
PHONE NUMBER: 301-443-9136
PIC ID: 6044
PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: EMT Associates St. Louis, MO
PROJECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: 4/30/00
TITLE: Cross-site Evaluation of the Community Prevention Coalitions Demonstration Grant Program
ABSTRACT: This project will conduct a cross-site evaluation of the Community Prevention Coalition (CPC) grant program over a five-year period. The goals of the evaluation are to assess: (1) the extent to which coalitions of service organizations created by the program are able to implement comprehensive and coordinated alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) prevention programs through an expanded and non-duplicative service delivery base; (2) the extent to which coalitions are able to achieve measurable reductions in the incidence and prevalence of ATOD use, and improvements in ATOD-related social, health and safety consequences among all age, ethnic and vulnerable groups within grantee communities; (3) the contributions of various prevention strategies to site-specific outcomes and to general prevention outcomes in those sites where measurable changes are made; and (4) those characteristics common to coalitions where measurable changes are achieved, as well as those that differentiate successful coalitions from unsuccessful ones. The contractor will be required to collect process and outcome data for analysis from coalitions. In addition, data collected locally by grantees and archived community-wide indicators will be used.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
FEDERAL CONTACT: Shakeh Kaftarian, Ph.D.
PHONE NUMBER: 301-443-9136
PIC ID: 6042
PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: Cosmos Corporation Bethesda, MD
PROJECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: 5/31/00
TITLE: Evaluation of the HHS Access to Community Care and Effective Services and Supports (ACCESS) Program
ABSTRACT: The ACCESS Program is a five year demonstration program that provides grants to nine States to develop integrated systems of treatment and supportive services and housing for homeless persons with serious mental illnesses. The goal of the program is to identify strategies for developing integrated service systems and to evaluate their effectiveness in providing services to homeless persons with serious mental illnesses. The evaluation of the ACCESS Program has two major components: The system-level evaluation identifies the different systems integration approaches, documents how they are implemented, and measures their impact on system capacity and system barriers. The client-level evaluation determines whether systems integration efforts result in improved service delivery, improvements in mental health and health status, rehabilitation, quality of life and permanent exit from homelessness.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Center for Mental Health Services
FEDERAL CONTACT: Frances Randolph
PHONE NUMBER: 301-443-3706
PIC ID: 4980.1
PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: R.O.W. Sciences, Inc. Rockville, MD
PROJECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: 7/31/00
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