Staff Contact: Hannah Prince
Less than 15% of those living with a substance use disorder in the U.S. receive treatment each year. One possible explanation for this is the common misconception that a patient must be abstinent from all substances first. Patients who continue or resume use often are denied or discharged from treatment.
To combat this, the American Society for Addiction Medicine developed guidance, published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, on the engagement and retention of nonabstinent patients in SUD treatment. The guidance includes the following 10 strategies.
- Cultivate patient trust by creating a welcoming, nonjudgmental and trauma-sensitive environment.
- Do not require abstinence as a condition of treatment initiation or retention.
- Optimize clinical interventions to promote patient engagement and retention.
- Only administratively discharge patients as a last resort.
- Seek to reengage individuals who disengage from care.
- Build connections to people with SUD who are not currently seeking treatment.
- Cultivate staff acceptance and support.
- Prioritize retention of front-line staff.
- Align policies and procedures with the commitment to improve engagement and retention of all patients, including nonabstinent patients.
- Measure progress and strive for continuous improvement of engagement and retention.
