PROGRAM DIVERSITY AND TREATMENT RETENTION RATES IN THE DRUG-ABUSE TREATMENT OUTCOME STUDY (DATOS)

Stays of 3 months or longer in drug abuse treatment generally predict better follow-up outcomes. In a national sample of community-based pro grams that participated in the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study, med ian lengths of stay were 3 months for clients in long-term residential and outpatient drug-free treatments and 1 year for clients in outpati ent methadone treatment. However, individual programs within each of t hese modalities differed widely in how long they kept their clients in treatment as well as their service delivery. Programs treating indivi duals with heavier cocaine and alcohol use and more psychological dysf unction usually had shorter retention rates. Nonetheless, even after s tatistically controlling for these client differences, some programs w ere more effective than others in engaging and retaining clients.