Cost-effective alcohol treatment: The community reinforcement approach

Recent meta-analyses of the alcohol treatment outcome literature have point ed to a number of therapeutic modalities that consistently surface as gener ally more effective than others. Yet the gap between science and practice, remains largely unaffected by these findings. Among the many possible reaso ns for this gal, a critical one is the difficulty of synthesizing research findings and methodically adapting them for private or clinic practice. Thi s paper introduces the Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA), one of the w ell-supported treatment modalities. CRA is a cost-effective behavioral and social-learning-base treatment protocol. Its innovative, menu-driven approa ch to substance abuse also integrates several other cost-effective treatmen ts to make a comprehensive package for the clinician. An overview Of CRA is provided with the objective of helping the clinician increase his or her c ost-effectiveness with alcohol abusing and dependent clients.