Increasing Utilization of Vocational Services in Methadone Maintenance Treatment Programs: Results of a One-Year Intervention

Abstract

Interventions were designed to increase utilization ofvocational services and client vocational/educational status in methadone treatment programs. The impact of two variables was assessed: (a) compensating programs for Medicaid reimbursement losses associated with client vocational progress (MC), and (b) placement of a vocational specialist whose role was to facilitate clinic integration of vocational services with other program goals, resources, and policies (VI). The study was conducted in four methadone maintenance treatment programs located in New York City. Conclusions were that: (a) involvement in the study itself can cause a significant increase in V/E activity, (b) the VI factor alone was related to higher rates of V/E referral, while the MC factor alone was associated with decrease in both V/E activity and status, and (c) given the high degree of V/E status stability and the inverse relationship of V/E status to continued drug use and Medicaid dependence, the greatest V/E status gains are likely to occur where both issues are addressed.