LifeSkills Simpson County Office
(270) 586-8826
www.lifeskills.com
1031 Brookhaven Court
Franklin KY 42134

Rehab and Insurance Services

Mix of mental health and substance abuse services
Services Provided: Substance abuse treatment
Type of Care: Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups: Adolescents, Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, DUI/DWI offenders

Contingency Management Incentives

Research shows the effectiveness of treatment approaches that use contingency management principles, which involve giving patients in drug treatment the chance to earn incentives in exchange for urine samples that are free from drugs. These incentives include prizes or vouchers exchangeable for food items, movie passes and other personal goods. Studies conducted in both methadone programs and psychosocial counseling treatment programs demonstrate that interventions that involve incentives are highly effective in increasing treatment retention and promoting abstinence from drugs like alcohol, stimulants, opioids, marijuana and nicotine. Some people think that a contingency management intervention with prizes could promote gambling as it contains an element of chance and because pathological gambling and substance use disorders can exist together. However, studies show that contingency management procedures with prizes do not promote gambling behavior.

Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders

It is important to adequately assess mental disorders and to address these diseases as part of effective drug abuse treatment. Specialists can address many types of mental health problems in standard drug abuse treatment programs. However, individuals with serious mental disorders may require an integrated treatment approach designed for treating patients with co-occurring mental health problems and substance use disorders. Although not readily available, specialized therapeutic community Mentally Ill Chemical Abuser programs (MICA) attend to patients with co-occurring mental and addictive problems.
Science has progressed by developing effective medications for treating mental disorders, including a number of antidepressants, anti anxiety agents, mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. These medications may be critical for treatment success in offenders who have co-occurring mental disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective for treating some mental health problems, particularly when combined with medications. Contingency management can improve adherence to medications and intensive case management is useful for linking severely mentally ill individuals with drug abuse treatment, mental health care and community services.

Drug Abuse Treatment to Offenders Return on Investment (ROI)

In 2002, the estimated cost to society of drug abuse was $180.9 billion (Office of National Drug Control Policy [ONDCP], 2004), $107.8 billion related to crime related to drugs, including criminal justice system costs and costs borne by victims of crime. The cost of treating drug abuse including research, training and prevention efforts is about $15.8 billion, a fraction of these overall societal costs (ONDCP, 2004).
Drug abuse treatment is cost effective in reducing drug use and bringing about associated healthcare, crime and incarceration cost savings. Positive net economic benefits are consistently found for drug abuse treatment across various settings and populations. The largest economic benefit of treatment is in avoided costs of crime, incarceration and victimization costs, with greater economic benefits resulting from treating offenders with co-occurring mental health problems and substance use disorders. Residential prison treatment is more cost effective if offenders attend treatment after release, according to research (Martin, Butzin, Saum and Inciardi, 1999). Drug courts also convey positive economic benefits, including allowing participants to earn wages and avoid incarceration and future crime costs.
Incarcerated women have high rates of substance abuse, mental disorders and other health problems.