Report: Access still limited for substance abuse sufferers
DATE: April 29, 2015
For those who need substance abuse treatment in Massachusetts, the system appears to be stacked against them in a couple of key ways, according to a new report by the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA).
The report from the state agency, released last week, highlighted a "misalignment" in capacity among Massachusetts' substance abuse treatment facilities, which include short-term drug and alcohol detox and residential facilities, as well as long-term residential treatment programs.
Aron Boros, CHIA's executive director, explained that patients leaving the nearly 900 acute treatment, or detox, facilities face a backlog when they try to enter long-term residential treatment programs. There are only about 150 beds in the clinical support services field, which is the next step down for many patients leaving detox programs, making it a hard-to-reach service for most.
Boros said this creates a problem for those leaving detox who still need significant support on their path toward recovery.
"The lack of continuity between the services makes it hard to identify the right kind of treatment," Boros said.
According to the report, a number of providers are seeking licensure for additional beds, both at detox facilities and long-term residential treatment facilities, which may increase access to care for some. But paying for the services is another significant challenge.