A Coupon Program—Drug Treatment and AIDS Education

Abstract

The New Jersey State Department of Health developed a program to test the following hypotheses: (1) numerous heroin addicts will respond to free detoxification treatment offered through a coupon program, (2) a substantial number of these patients will continue in treatment beyond the free detoxification attempt, and (3) participation in an AIDS education session can increase the knowledge level of intravenous drug abusers regarding this disease. Eighty-four percent of the 970 distributed coupons were redeemed for detoxification treatment. Twenty-eight percent of the program participants continued in treatment after the free detoxification period, and the AIDS information session significantly increased the knowledge of participating addicts.

Why don’t out-of-treatment individuals enter methadone treatment programmes?

“…Even the relatively small co-payment required by some grant-funded programs (which average about $5 per week) may present a barrier to treatment entry for some potential patients. Providing free treatment may increase the rate of treatment entry and retention (Booth et al, 2003; Jackson et al, 1989; Maddux, Prihoda & Desmond, 1994), although this approach too is dependent upon the unlikely prospect of increased funding for such services.…”

Challenges in Motivating Treatment Enrollment in Community Syringe Exchange Participants

“…The city of Baltimore has significantly increased availability of drug abuse treatment, yet like many other large urban cities is still unable to offer treatment on demand. 24 Financial barriers, including cost of treatment and transportation, are also relevant in this population 41 and may have limited the impact of MI. Studies that have actively addressed these potential obstacles through community outreach workers, direct treatment referrals, and/or free treatment have shown some success in improving rates of treatment enrollment in this population.…”

Drug abuse treatment entry and engagement: Report of a meeting on treatment readiness

“…Because existing research has focused largely on patients in treatment, findings primarily pertain to treatment retention rather than admission. Patient fees serve as a barrier to treatment entry, and voucher programs offering free treatment have increased treatment entry (Bux, Iguchi, Lidz, Baxter, & Platt, 1993;Jackson, Rotkiewicz, Quinones, & Passannante, 1989;Sorenson, Constantini, Gibson, & Wall, 1993). Research indicates that delays in the normal admission process affect engagement, such that patients receiving expedited admission to treatment were more likely to be retained in treatment than were patients admitted through standard procedures (Bell, Caplehorn, & McNeil, 1994;Rosenberg, McKain, & Patch, 1972).…”