Venue: The Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, 1 Towerview Drive, Durham, NC 27708-0120

 

Presentation

Benefit-cost Analyses of Post-release Substance Abuse Interventions for Criminal Offenders

Authors: Kathryn E. McCollister kmccolli@miami.edu; Michael T. French, University of Miami mfrench@miami.edu; Jeff Pyne, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences pynejeffreym@uams.edu; Richard Rapp, Wright State University rrapp@wsu.edu; Brenda Booth, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences boothbrendam@uams.edu

Presenter: Kathryn McCollister (University of Miami)

Discussant: Alexander J. Cowell (RTI International)

Session: Economics of Substance and Abuse: Treatment 2

Room: RJR Auditorium

When: Monday 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Economic evaluation of addiction treatment has assumed a key role in current public health research agendas. Policy relies on studies that compare program outcomes to program costs in order to make socially optimal resource allocation decisions. The need for carefully collected cost data has promoted the development of instruments like the Drug Abuse Treatment Cost Analysis Program (DATCAP), a standardized cost evaluation instrument that measures the opportunity cost of addiction treatment services. Numerous program cost evaluations have used the DATCAP, but less is known about client-specific costs of attending treatment in terms of time and other resources. Concerns about financial and other barriers to participating in treatment have encouraged more careful consideration of these previously unmeasured costs. To address this research gap, the Client Drug Abuse Treatment Cost Analysis Program (Client DATCAP) was developed and is now among a growing number of DATCAP instruments (www.DATCAP.com). The Client DATCAP collects information on a client’s travel expenses, opportunity cost of time spent in treatment, cash or other contributions to the program, and other miscellaneous expenses. The current study administered the Client DATCAP to 480 individuals (169 inpatient clients and 311 outpatient clients) as part of a larger study examining the cost-effectiveness of interventions designed to improve treatment linkage and engagement in Dayton, OH. Client costs are summarized by treatment modality and in terms of cost per visit and cost per treatment episode. Results indicate that the opportunity cost of a client’s time accounted for the largest component to total cost. Policy makers and treatment providers now have a broader view of the full cost of addiction treatment and can use this information to support improved treatment access and delivery for future clients.