A report released by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) finds substance abuse treatment works and benefits both individuals and the community as a whole. The annual Outcomes Monitoring System (OMS) Report prepared for IDPH by the Iowa Consortium for Substance Abuse Research and Evaluation at the University of Iowa, tracks outcomes of IDPH-funded substance abuse treatment programs statewide. According to the report, 100 percent of those admitted for treatment indicated a primary substance of use. Alcohol was the most common primary substance reported (50 percent), followed by marijuana (26 percent) and methamphetamine (17 percent). Six months following discharge from treatment, nearly half (49 percent) reported they were not using their substance of choice any longer. Of those who did report substance use following discharge, nearly 40 percent reported using their primary substance with less frequency.
“This report is a clear indication that substance abuse treatment can be effective,” said IDPH Behavioral Health Division Director Kathy Stone. “While treatment has a direct and positive impact on the individual and his or her family and friends, it also benefits the community. For example, employment nearly doubles after treatment, resulting in an increase in monthly taxable income for the state.”
Other report findings include an association with abstinence from substance use and children living in the home. Those with children in the home were more likely to remain abstinent from substance use after discharge. Nearly 60 percent of clients reported arrests at admission, compared to fewer than 16 percent at follow-up. There was also a more than two-fold decrease in the number of clients who reported substance-abuse related hospitalizations at follow-up, compared to admission.
To see the entire OMS report, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/bh/common/pdf/substance_abuse/oms_year14.pdf.For more information on how IDPH addresses substance abuse prevention and treatment in Iowa, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/bh/substance_abuse.asp.
