1. Access To Recovery (ATR)
2. ASAM Levels Of Care
3. Clinical Practices and Treatment Approaches
4. Community Reinforcement Plus Vouchers
5. Halfway House or Other Transitional Housing
6. Matrix Model
7. Medicare
8. Medicaid
9. National Provider Identifier
10. Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)
11. Specially Designed Substance Abuse Treatment Program or Group

Access to Recovery (ATR): ATR is a competitive discretionary grant program funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, which provides vouchers to clients for the purchase of substance abuse clinical treatment and recovery support services. Grants are awarded to states and Tribal Organizations. The participating states and program names are:

Get more information about Access to Recovery and grantee websites.

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ASAM Levels of Care: The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has developed guidelines regarding levels of care that are now widely used. The ASAM levels of care are: Level 0.5, Early Intervention; Level I, Outpatient Treatment; Level II, Intensive Outpatient/Partial Hospitalization; Level III, Residential/Inpatient Treatment; and Level IV, Medically-Managed Intensive Inpatient Treatment. Within these broad levels of service is a range of specific levels of care. Since some treatment facilities may be more familiar with the ASAM level-of-care terminology than with the treatment categories used in the N‑SSATS questionnaire, we have added a notation indicating the corresponding ASAM level of care below each N‑SSATS category in the questionnaire. We hope that this added information will make responding to the N‑SSATS questionnaire easier for facilities that use the ASAM classifications.

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Clinical Practices and Treatment Approaches

Substance abuse counseling: A short-term treatment that has been generalized for a variety of disorders, including opiate drug dependence and cocaine abuse. The therapy includes supportive techniques, which encourage the patient to discuss personal experiences, and expressive techniques, which enable the patient to work through interpersonal relationship issues and gain greater self understanding.

12-Step Facilitiation: Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) consists of a brief, structured, and manual-driven approach to facilitating early recovery from alcohol abuse/alcoholism and other drug abuse/addiction. It is intended to be implemented on an individual basis in 12 to 15 sessions and is based in behavioral, spiritual, and cognitive principles that form the core of 12-step fellowships such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). It is suitable for problem drinkers and other drug users and for those who are alcohol or other drug dependent. For more information see http://www.drugabuse.gov/ADAC/ADAC10.html.

Brief intervention: A short-term intervention, usually one to five sessions, for substance abusers who are not yet dependent.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves recognizing unhelpful patterns of thinking and reacting, and then modifying or replacing these with more realistic or helpful ones. The therapy can be conducted with individuals, families, or groups, and clients are generally expected to be active participants in their own therapy.

Contingency Management/Motivational Incentives: Often used in the treatment of drug and alcohol abuse, contingency management employs a positive-reinforcement treatment method in which patients are given rewards for constructive actions taken towards their recovery.

Motivational interviewing: Motivational interviewing is a counseling approach which acknowledges that many people experience ambivalence when deciding to make changes. Its aim is not to immediately focus on the action of changing, but work to enhance motivation to change.

Trauma-related counseling: Cognitive-behavior techniques adapted for clients suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other effects of abuse and trauma.

Anger management: An intervention strategy appropriate for the stage of substance abuse treatment aimed at maintaining abstinence after it has been achieved.

Relapse prevention: A cognitive-behavioral therapy developed for the treatment of problem drinking and adapted later for cocaine addicts. Cognitive-behavioral strategies are based on the theory that learning processes play a critical role in the development of maladaptive behavioral patterns. Individuals learn to identify and correct problematic behaviors. Relapse prevention encompasses several cognitive-behavioral strategies that facilitate abstinence as well as provide help for people who experience relapse. For more information about Relapse Prevention, see http://www.drugabuse.gov/BTDP/Effective/Carroll.html.

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Community Reinforcement Plus Vouchers: Community Reinforcement Plus Vouchers is an intensive outpatient therapy where individuals focus on improving family relations, receive vocational training, and learn a variety of skills to minimize drug dependency. An incentive program (vouchers whereby individuals can earn points exchangeable for retail items) is used to encourage individuals to remain in treatment and be abstinent.

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Halfway House or Other Transitional Housing: Housing for individuals recovering from substance abuse that is designed to provide appropriate support services to facilitate movement to independent living.

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Matrix Model: The Matrix Model approach provides a framework for substance abuse users to obtain the ability to cease drug use, stay in treatment, and participate in an educational program on addiction and relapse. Users are also provided with direction and support from a trained therapist and introduced to self-help programs.

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Medicare: Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older and people with disabilities.

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Medicaid: Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with low incomes and limited resources. Medicaid programs vary from state to state.

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National Provider Identifier (NPI): The NPI is a standard identification number for health care providers that was mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). It is a unique, ten-digit number issued by the National Provider System (NPS) and is used in the administrative and financial transactions specified by HIPAA. All covered entities under HIPAA were required to apply for and use an NPI by May 2007, or May 2008, depending on the size of the organization.

For more information about the National Provider Identifier, see the NPI Fact Sheet on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website.

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Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT): REBT is a therapeutic approach that places the focus on the present, such as, currently held attitudes, painful emotions, and maladaptive behaviors that can disrupt life. This method of treatment includes an REBT practitioner who personalizes a set of techniques for helping individuals examine their own thoughts, beliefs, and actions and replace those that are self-defeating with more life-enhancing alternatives.

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Specially Designed Substance Abuse Treatment Program or Group: A facility may offer a standard substance abuse program to all clients but, in addition, offer specially designed programs or groups for specific types of clients. Although the treatment methods could be the same, specially designed programs or groups are exclusively for a specific type of client and discussions are particularly relevant to that type of client.

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