The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) has completed a new study titled “Trends in Facility and Client Characteristics.” The review covers the years 2007-2011 and looks for changes in the types of substance abuse treatment being offered and in the individuals who seek it.
The study found that both the total number of substance abuse treatment facilities and the number of clients in treatment increased slightly between 2007 and 2011. The number of facilities jumped from 13,648 to 13,720, while the number of clients in treatment increased by 7.8 percent from 1,135,425 in 2007 to 1,224,127 in 2011.
The operational structure of those programs and the type of care they offered changed little during the period studied. Whether a facility was private non-profit, private for-profit or government-run did not shift substantially, and these programs continued to place a primary focus on substance abuse treatment services.
The types of care sought changed little between 2007 to 2011 as well. Clients in treatment for both drug and alcohol abuse made up 42 to 46 percent of all clients. Clients in treatment for drug abuse made up 35 to 39 percent, and clients in treatment for alcohol abuse only remained fairly steady at around 18 percent.
One of the bigger surprises is that the number of treatment clients under age 18 changed little as well. Many treatment programs and industry professionals acknowledge that the average age of those seeking treatment seems to be decreasing with facilities welcoming younger and younger clients each year, but this study found that clients under age 18 made up between 7 and 8 percent of all clients in treatment between 2007 and 2011 which was consistent with earlier figures.
If you or someone you love needs addiction treatment, call The Canyon at the toll-free number on our homepage. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.
