Ancillary and transitional assistance services at substance abuse treatment facilities: Effects of facility characteristics and implications to policy

Background: Substance abuse treatment program client outcomes are affected by a number of factors, including the degree to which ancillary and transitional assistance services are provided to patients who often lack access to these services. We examined facility-level correlates of ancillary and transitional assistance services among substance abuse treatment providers.

Method: Facility level data were obtained from the 2004 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) for programs primarily focusing on substance abuse treatment and that provided regular and intensive outpatient services to adults (n=4,949).Logistic regression analysis was used to determine if the facility's ownership, size, payment assistance, Medicaid acceptance, and funding support are associated with the offering of several ancillary and transitional services.

Results: Facilities that were owned by non-profit organizations or government agencies, that received local, state or federal earmarks, that offered payment assistance and that accepted Medicaid payments were significantly more likely to provide social services, housing, child care, transportation assistance, and HIV/AIDS educational services. In addition, non-profit or government owned facilities, those that received earmarks, and those that offered payment assistance were more likely to provide employment assistance and case management services to their clients. Size of the facility was positively associated with domestic violence services but remains largely unrelated to offerings of other ancillary and transitional services.

Conclusion: The provision of the ancillary and transitional assistance services are significantly associated with facility ownership, funding, and reimbursement mechanisms. These factors are critical to ensuring access to needed services particularly among disadvantaged communities.