Employee Utilization of Addiction Treatment

Abstract

The costs of treating employee alcohol and drug dependence are rising. Several trends are contributing to the escalation of treatment costs. Among these is the expansion of the addiction treatment industry. Many treatment purchasers are being encouraged to "overbuy" services despite the lack of evidence that the more dollars spent on treatment, the more effective it will be. Employers who seem to determine the most cost-effective method of addiction treatment must recognize that not all employees require the same treatment pattern. There are distinct gender and ethnic variations in general mental health service utilization which suggest that addiction treatment utilization is also sensitive to patient characteristics such as gender and race. There are also numerous psychological and organizational barriers to the use of employer-sponsored treatment which must be considered. The evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of treatment must always be underscored by a deep understanding of its utilization: Which employees use which forms of treatment and what variables actually affect their utilization patterns? 11 is time for a concerted and humane effort to answer these questions.