Drug Treatment

Some Clinics Not Meeting Goal of Prompt Treatment for Intravenous Drug Users Gao ID: HRD-90-80BR April 30, 1990

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the: (1) extent to which programs receiving alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services (ADMS) block grant funds provided timely treatment for intravenous (IV) drug users; and (2) Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) oversight of state efforts to implement those provisions.

GAO found that: (1) states generally implemented the five IV drug abuse treatment provisions of the Anti-Drug Abuse Amendments Act of 1988, but some clinics did not always provide drug treatment within the required 7 days; (2) local providers did not consistently conduct outreach activities under the provision that required such services; (3) HHS relied on the states' interpretation of the timely drug treatment provision when administering the ADMS block grant program; (4) states interpreted the timely drug treatment provision, requiring treatment within 7 days, as a broad goal; and (5) HHS did not require states to provide sufficient information to measure their progress.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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