Do the Benefits of More Intensive Substance Abuse Treatment Offset the Costs?
September 2000
DHHS, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
In this analysis, we estimated the relationship between treatment intensity and post-treatment societal costs associated with substance abuse treatment clients. We focused on the impact of length of stay and individual and group counseling sessions on crime-related costs (including criminal justice), health care costs, welfare payments, and client earnings. Societal benefits were measured by the estimated reductions in post-treatment costs and welfare payments or estimated increases in earnings and taxes with each additional day of treatment or hour of counseling. The additional benefits from increasing length of stay or counseling were compared with the additional cost of providing such care. The purpose of the analysis was to identify the value to society of varying the length of stay or hours of counseling for clients who received substance abuse treatment.