Chapter 5
Short-Term Residential Treatment Discharges: 2005

Chapter 5 presents data on the reasons for discharge and length of stay (LOS) in treatment for the 128,756 linked admission/discharge records of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment in 2005 in 31 States [Table 5.1].

Table 5.1 and Figure 5.1 present the distribution of reasons for discharge among discharges from short-term residential treatment. Overall, 72,221 (56 percent) of short-term residential treatment discharges completed treatment, 22,452 (17 percent) were transferred to further treatment, 19,760 (15 percent) dropped out of treatment, 9,300 (7 percent) had treatment terminated by the facility, and 5,023 (4 percent) failed to complete treatment for other reasons.* Table 5.1 also presents reasons for discharge by State.

* Percentages do not sum to 100 percent because of rounding.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Figure 5.2, Table 2.5, and Appendix Table C.1. The median LOS for short-term residential treatment was 21 days. The average (mean) LOS was longer, 26 days (standard deviation, 47). The average LOS was longer than the median LOS for most reasons for discharge and for most client characteristics [Tables 5.2-5.11].

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Short-term residential clients who completed treatment remained in treatment longer than clients who did not complete treatment. Among treatment completers, median LOS was 25 days, and among clients transferred to further treatment, it was 22 days. Among clients who dropped out of treatment, the median LOS was 7 days; among those whose treatment was terminated by the facility, it was 14 days; and among those who failed to complete treatment for other reasons, the median LOS was 10 days.

In comparison with all discharges combined, clients discharged from short-term residential treatment were [Table 2.7]:

• more likely to report daily use of the primary substance at admission (55 percent, compared to 43 percent of all discharges) and less likely to report no substance use in the month before treatment entry (14 percent, compared to 26 percent of all discharges);
  
• more likely to have been referred to treatment by an alcohol/drug abuse care provider (30 percent, compared to 11 percent of all discharges) and less likely to have been referred by the criminal justice system (20 percent, compared to 35 percent of all discharges);
  
• more likely not to be in the labor force (58 percent, compared to 44 percent of all discharges) and less likely to be employed full time or part time (18 percent, compared to 27 percent of all discharges); and
  
• more likely to report cocaine as the primary substance of abuse (22 percent, compared to 14 percent of all discharges).

Gender

Table 5.2 and Figure 5.3. Sixty-eight percent of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment were male.

Males were more likely to complete short-term residential treatment or to transfer to further treatment (74 percent, combined) than were females (72 percent).

The median LOS among clients completing short-term residential treatment was the same for males and females (25 days).

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Age at Admission

Table 5.3 and Figure 5.4. The largest age group among clients discharged from short-term residential treatment was ages 31 to 40 at admission (29 percent), followed by ages 41 to 50 (27 percent) and ages 21 to 30 (26 percent). Eleven percent were under age 21, and 8 percent were over age 50.*

Clients over age 50 were most likely to complete short-term residential treatment or to transfer to further treatment (81 percent). The combined completion/transfer rate was lower with each successively younger age group, and was 68 percent among clients under age 21.

The median LOS among clients completing short-term residential treatment was longest (27 days) among clients under age 21. It was 25 days in all other age groups.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Race/Ethnicity

Table 5.4 and Figure 5.5. Sixty-one percent of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment were non-Hispanic White, 24 percent were non-Hispanic Black, 11 percent were of Hispanic origin, and 4 percent were of other racial/ethnic groups.

Non-Hispanic Whites were most likely to complete short-term residential treatment or to transfer to further treatment (75 percent). The combined completion/transfer rate was 72 percent among non-Hispanic Blacks and 70 percent among clients of Hispanic origin.

The median LOS among clients completing short-term residential treatment was either 25 days or 27 days for all racial/ethnic categories.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Primary Substance

Table 5.5 and Figure 5.6. Forty percent of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment reported alcohol as their primary substance of abuse at admission. Cocaine was reported by 22 percent, opiates by 15 percent, marijuana by 10 percent, stimulants by 9 percent, and other substances by 3 percent.*

Clients reporting alcohol as their primary substance were most likely to complete short-term residential treatment or to transfer to further treatment (80 percent). The combined completion/transfer rates for the other specific substances were between 72 percent (cocaine) and 67 percent (opiates).

The median LOS among clients completing short-term residential treatment was longest (27 days) among those reporting marijuana or stimulants as their primary substance of abuse. It was shortest (24 days) among those reporting alcohol.

* Percentages do not sum to 100 percent because of rounding.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Frequency of Use

Table 5.6 and Figure 5.7. Fifty-five percent of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment reported daily use of their primary substance at admission while 14 percent reported no use in the month before entering treatment.

Clients reporting daily use of their primary substance were least likely to complete short-term residential treatment or to transfer to further treatment (72 percent). The combined completion/transfer rates for less frequent substance use varied little and were between 74 percent and 78 percent.

The median LOS among clients completing short-term residential treatment displayed no consistent pattern with frequency of substance use and was between 23 days and 27 days.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Age at First Use

Table 5.7 and Figure 5.8. The peak age at first use of the primary substance among clients discharged from short-term residential treatment was 15 to 17 years (26 percent). Twenty-four percent did not begin use until they were over age 21, and 14 percent began use at age 12 or younger.

The proportions of clients who completed short-term residential treatment or transferred to further treatment varied little with age at first use of the primary substance and were between 73 percent and 75 percent.

The median LOS among clients completing short-term residential treatment varied little with age at first use of the primary substance and was between 24 days and 25 days.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Prior Treatment

Table 5.8 and Figure 5.9.Thirty-eight percent of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment had never been in treatment before, while 11 percent had been in treatment five or more times before.

The proportions of clients who completed short-term residential treatment or transferred to further treatment varied little with the number of prior treatment episodes and were between 72 percent and 76 percent.

The median LOS among clients completing short-term residential treatment varied little with the number of prior treatment episodes and was between 24 days and 26 days.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Treatment Referral Source

Table 5.9 and Figure 5.10. Thirty percent each of clients discharged from short-term residential treatment were self- or individual referrals to treatment, or were referred by alcohol/drug abuse care providers. Twenty percent were referred to treatment by the criminal justice system, 11 percent by community sources, and 9 percent by health care providers.

Clients referred to treatment by the criminal justice system were most likely to complete short-term residential treatment or to transfer to further treatment (78 percent). The combined completion/transfer rate was lowest for self- or individual referrals (69 percent).

The median LOS among clients completing short-term residential treatment was longest (27 days) for criminal justice system referrals. It was shortest (21 days) for referrals by health care providers.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Employment Status

Table 5.10 and Figure 5.11. Fifty-eight percent of clients age 16 and older discharged from short-term residential treatment were not in the labor force, 24 percent were unemployed, and 18 percent were employed either full time or part time.

Clients who were employed were most likely to complete short-term residential treatment or to transfer to further treatment (81 percent). The combined completion/transfer rates were 72 percent both among those who were not in the labor force and among those who were unemployed.

The median LOS among clients completing short-term residential treatment was longest (27 days) among those who were not in the labor force. It was shortest (21 days) among those who were employed.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

Education

Table 5.11 and Figure 5.12. Forty-four percent of clients age 18 and older discharged from short-term residential treatment had 12 years of education or a GED, 31 percent had fewer than 12 years of education, and 26 percent had more than 12 years of education.*

Clients with more education were more likely to complete short-term residential treatment or to transfer to further treatment than were clients with less education. The combined completion/transfer rate was highest (78 percent) among those with more than 12 years of education. It declined to 75 percent among clients with 12 years of education or a GED and to 70 percent among clients with fewer than 12 years of education.

The median LOS among clients completing short-term residential treatment was the same (25 days) at all levels of education.

* Percentages do not sum to 100 percent because of rounding

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.03.06.

To Tables

To Table of Contents