**SESSION ABSTRACT** Public Health Systems Research: Applications to treatment for substance use disorders

Whereas clinical research on the treatment of persons with substance use disorders has grown significantly, there has been little study devoted to the organization and delivery of services at the level of treatment service systems.. Because treatment policy is most often directed at the allocation of resources at the systems level, there is a pressing need for public health systems research on alcohol and drug treatment. The rationale for this session is therefore to highlight new concepts and emerging research on treatment system factors likely to influence population health. The papers illustrate recent advances in the understanding of such systems factors as access to care, retention in treatment, continuity of care, and service integration that have important implications for both treatment policy and public health. The titles of each 15 minute paper are listed as follows in order of presentation: 1) Alcohol and Drug Treatment Systems in Public Health Perspective: Mediators and Moderators of Population Effects; 2) Trends in access to addiction treatment, 1984-2004; 3) Decentralisation and integration of addiction treatment - does it make any difference?; 4) Improving processes in state treatment systems. The moderator of the session will be Thomas F. Babor.