Over the past 15 years, scientific knowledge of effective, evidence-based therapies to treat substance use disorders has increased substantially. At the same time, substance abuse is gaining recognition as a chronic illness that must be treated in a manner similar to diseases such as diabetes or heart disease. Furthermore, substance abuse and mental illness commonly occur together, and both must be treated effectively to achieve good health. As with other aspects of healthcare, the increase in scientific knowledge has not been accompanied by consistent implementation of proven methods of treatment. Specific methods incorporated into a treatment program, and the duration of these interventions, vary widely. No standardized measures exist to indicate whether effective programs are in place or whether goals are achieved. In fact, even assessing the degree to which programs offer evidence-supported services and treatments is difficult. This project will take the first step toward addressing the need for substance abuse treatment performance measures and benchmarks of effective treatment.
This project will convene a workshop to:
This project, like all NQF activities, will involve active participation of representatives from across the spectrum of healthcare stakeholders. Recommendations will be developed by participants in a workshop, and a final report will be made available for comment by the public and NQF members. This project will not involve the formal Consensus Development Process, but it does set the stage for one, if recommended as appropriate, in the future.
Support for this project is being provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
For more information, contact Elaine J. Power at 202.783.1300 or e-mail info@qualityforum.org.