Benefit-cost analysis of residential and outpatient addiction treatment inthe state of Washington

A benefit-cost analysis of full continuum (FC) and partial continuum (PC) c are was conducted on a sample of substance abusers from the Stale of Washin gton. Economic benefits were derived from client self-reported information at treatment entry and at 9 months postadmission using an augmented version of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Average (i. e.. per client) economi c benefits of treatment from baseline to follow-up for both FC and PC were statistically significant for most variables and in the aggregate. The over all difference in average economic benefit between FC and PC was positive ( $8,053) and statistically significant,favoring FC over PC. The average cost of treatment amounted to $2,530 for FC and $1,138 for PC (p < .01). Averag e net benefits were estimated to be $17,833(9.70) for FC and $11,173 (23.33 )for PC, with values showing statistical significance (p < .05). Results st rongly indicate that both treatment options generated positive and signific ant net benefits to society.