Enhancing addiction treatment program accountability and improvement: The public health benefits of the Services Accountability and Improvement System

The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) funds Discretionary Services grantees to respond to treatment capacity gaps, address serious emerging drug problems, and develop innovative solutions to unmet needs. CSAT's Services Accountability and Improvement System (SAIS) supports the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993. GPRA seeks to increase program effectiveness and accountability by focusing on results, service quality, and customer satisfaction. GPRA and SAIS help CSAT to set program-specific performance targets, measure program performance, and report outcomes to Congress.

Most grantees collect CSAT's GPRA outcome measures at baseline, discharge, and at 6-month follow-up interviews. These include substance use, criminal activity, mental and physical health, family and living conditions, education/employment status and social connectedness. To help grantees conduct GPRA interviews and improve program effectiveness, SAIS provides training, technical assistance, and help desk services.

Trainings teach grantees how to enter client data into an online system, conduct GPRA client interviews, track clients and conduct follow-ups, and use GPRA data to enhance program performance. Technical assistance addresses such issues as intake and follow-up protocols, motivational interviewing, tracking and locating, client retention, and program sustainability. The GPRA Help Desk helps grantees use the CSAT-GPRA Web site, enter and modify data, run reports, find data records, and etc.

SAIS generates performance reports for programs, group of programs, and all programs. Outcomes noted improvements for abstinence, crime and criminal justice, employment/education, social connectedness, and housing stability.