USING STATE INFORMATION-SYSTEMS FOR DRUG-ABUSE SERVICES RESEARCH

Political and social demand for effective and cost-effective treatment s for drug and alcohol dependence challenge public policy makers and s ervices researchers to assess provider performance, monitor client out comes, and document effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of care. The information systems built and maintained by the public authorities tha t fund substance abuse treatment services are art underused source of information on provider performance, client characteristics treatment completion, readmission rates, treatment outcomes, and costs of care. An overview of performance measurement and state substance abuse datab ases sets the context for the article. The authors' work with the Main e, Massachusetts, and Ohio substance abuse information systems demonst rates ways services researchers can investigate the organization use, costs, and cost-effectiveness of publicly funded substance abuse treat ment services. Finally, challenges of working with state databases-the y are hard to access, must be handled carefully, can be difficult to i nterpret, and require collaboration with policy,nakers and treatment p roviders-are addressed.