Envisioning Transformation in VA Mental Health Services Through Collaborative Site Visits.

This column reviews the unique contributions of multiple partners in establishing a standardized site visit process to promote quality improvement in mental health care at the Veterans Health Administration. Working as a team, leaders in policy and operations, staff of research centers, and regional- and facility-level mental health leaders developed a standardized protocol for evaluating mental health services at each site and using the data to help implement policy goals. The authors discuss the challenges experienced and lessons learned in this systemwide process and how this information can be part of a framework for improving mental health services on a national level.

Differential relationships between continuity of care practices, engagement in continuing care, and abstinence among subgroups of patients with substance use and psychiatric disorders.

OBJECTIVE: We examined whether patient subgroups with differing substance use disorders (SUDs) and psychiatric severity levels varied on engagement in continuing care and abstinence outcomes, the association of continuity of care practices to engagement, and the association of engagement to abstinence. METHOD: Staff in 28 Veterans Affairs SUD treatment programs used the Addiction Severity Index to assess 865 (98% male) patients' alcohol, other drug, and psychiatric problems at treatment entry. At discharge, staff supplied data on patients' treatment, motivation, and continuity of care practices. Administrative data assessed continuing care engagement. Six months after discharge, 673 patients completed a self-reported Addiction Severity Index. The sample comprised four SUD subgroups (abstinent from alcohol and other drugs, used alcohol only, used other drugs only, used alcohol and other drugs) and two psychiatric severity subgroups (high and moderate to low). RESULTS: Patients receiving more continuity of care services engaged in continuing care longer. This association was weaker for the high psychiatric severity subgroup than for the moderate-to-low psychiatric severity subgroup. Engagement in continuing care was the most important predictor of abstinence overall. The positive association between engagement in continuing care and abstinence was strongest for the SUD subgroup using both alcohol and other drugs. This group had the lowest likelihood of abstinence if they engaged in little or no continuing care but showed the greatest increase in abstinence with longer continuing care engagement. CONCLUSIONS: Subgroups' differential responsiveness to continuity of care services and engagement highlights the crucial importance of continuing care interventions to improve abstinence outcomes for certain subgroups of patients who use both alcohol and other drugs.

Substance use disorders and health care costs among veterans affairs nursing home residents.

BACKGROUND: Research on the relationship between substance use disorders (SUDs) and older adults' health care costs is equivocal. A large-scale study comparing health care costs among older adults with and without SUDs has never been conducted. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relation of SUDs to health care costs in a large sample of adults following entry into a Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing home. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 29,997 adults aged 45+ who entered a VA nursing home in 2000. Total costs were tallied over fiscal years 1997 to 2000 by setting (outpatient, nursing home, other inpatient, and total) and included all care paid by VA. RESULTS: Relative to non-SUD patients, those with SUDs aged 75 to 84 years had significantly higher total costs of care (+$10,020), as did those aged 85 and above (+$16,052). Yet, SUD diagnosis was not a significant predictor of total cost or nursing home cost among persons 65 and above after controlling for demographic, clinical, and financial factors. CONCLUSIONS: SUDs do not directly increase health care costs among older adults entering nursing homes, although they may affect cost of care indirectly through factors such as income and marital dissolution. The generational increase in SUD rates occurring in the United States may not lead to substantially greater health care expenses if appropriate assistance can be provided before nursing home entry.

VA nursing home residents with substance use disorders: Mental health comorbidities, functioning, and problem behaviors.

OBJECTIVES: This research addresses whether residents with substance use disorders (SUDs) in VA nursing homes (VANHs) are distinctive in terms of their demographic characteristics, medical and mental health comorbidities, functioning, and problem behaviors. METHODS: Residents over age 55 admitted to VANHs (n = 27,002) were identified in VA administrative files, and SUD and non-SUD residents were compared. RESULTS: Compared with other residents, the residents with SUDs (18% of admissions over age 55) were more likely to be younger, male, African-American, unmarried, have low income and a tobacco use disorder. Controlling for demographic factors and smoking, SUD residents were more likely to have mental health comorbidities (dementia, serious mental illness, depressive disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder), as well as AIDS/hepatitis, pulmonary disease, gastro-intestinal disorders, and injuries. SUD residents were less likely to have cancer, diabetes, neurological disorders, heart failure, and renal failure. SUD residents were more independent in activities of daily living, such as mobility and toileting. They were more likely to engage in verbal disruption but not in other problem behaviors such as aggression. With demographic factors and comorbidities controlled, the functioning differences were diminished, and SUD and non-SUD residents did not differ in the levels of problem behaviors. DISCUSSION: VANH residents with SUDs have distinctive patterns of comorbidities and functioning. SUD appears to represent a separate risk factor for VANH admission. Residents with SUDs present challenges but may have good potential for positive discharge outcomes if their substance use problems and limited resources can be addressed.

Recent changes in the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among VA nursing home residents.

OBJECTIVE: This study identified recent changes in the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing home residents. METHODS: Psychiatric diagnoses in administrative databases were summarized for nursing home residents in 1998, 2002, and 2006. Census prevalence rates were compared with findings from earlier VA nursing home surveys. Prevalence rates were compared for age groups and birth cohorts of VA nursing home admissions in 1998 (N=27,734) and 2006 (N=32,543). RESULTS: Among residents in the census samples, prevalence rates for dementia and schizophrenia fluctuated moderately from 1990 to 2006, depression prevalence increased sharply, alcohol use disorder prevalence declined, and drug use disorder prevalence increased. Among 1998 and 2006 admissions, dementia prevalence increased for most birth cohorts but declined for most age groups (35% to 32% overall). Depression prevalence increased for all age groups and birth cohorts (27% to 37% overall), as did posttraumatic stress disorder prevalence (5% to 12% overall). Serious mental illness prevalence increased among the oldest residents and birth cohorts (19% to 22% overall). Alcohol use disorder prevalence declined for all birth cohorts and most age groups (18% to 16% overall), but drug use disorder prevalence increased substantially for younger age groups (6% to 9% overall). CONCLUSIONS: Examining differences in prevalence between birth cohorts and age groups can clarify trends in nursing home resident characteristics and improve projections of their future needs.

Treatment staff's continuity of care practices, patients' engagement in continuing care, and abstinence following outpatient substance-use disorder treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Although speculation suggests that continuity of care predicts abstinence following substance-use disorder (SUD) treatment, models examining staff's continuity of care practices and engagement in continuing care and whether they mediate or moderate the association between patient and treatment factors and abstinence are lacking. In this study, we aimed to model abstinence using combinations of independent pretreatment and treatment factors, discharge continuity of care practices, and posttreatment engagement and to identify mediators or moderators of relationships between these factors and abstinence. METHOD: Staff in 18 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient SUD programs used the Addiction Severity Index to assess 429 nonabstinent patients' alcohol and drug problems at treatment entry. Staff supplied discharge data on patients' motivation, treatment intensity and completion, and continuity of care practices. Administrative data assessed patients' continuing care engagement. A 6-month follow-up, the Addiction Severity Index assessed abstinence. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to examine predictors of abstinence. RESULTS: Abstinence occurred more when discharge plans specified at least one continuing care appointment per week, patients received continuing care appointments before discharge, and staff provided patients drug-free/sober living arrangements and with longer engagement in continuing care. SUD/psychiatric clinic use before treatment entry, treatment completion, access to transportation for continuing care appointments, and more patient motivation for continuing care also predicted abstinence. Engagement in continuing care mediated the relationship between continuity of care and abstinence and between SUD/psychiatric clinic use and abstinence. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that continuity of care practices influence abstinence mostly through their effect on patients' engagement in continuing care.

Predictors of engagement in continuing care following residential substance use disorder treatment.

BACKGROUND: Patients in intensive SUD programs who subsequently participate in continuing care for a longer interval have better outcomes than those who participate for a shorter interval. We sought to identify patient and program factors associated with duration of engagement in SUD continuing care after residential/inpatient treatment. METHODS: Patients (n=3032) at 15 geographically diverse SUD residential treatment programs provided data on demographics, symptom patterns, recovery resources, and perceptions of treatment environment. We identified patient characteristics associated with the number of consecutive months of engagement in continuing care. We then consolidated and classified risk factors into an integrated model. RESULTS: Being African American, having more SUD and psychiatric symptoms, more resources for recovery, and perceiving the treatment staff as being supportive were associated with longer engagement in continuing care. African Americans' engagement in continuing care was 17% longer than Caucasians'. The positive effect of being African American was partially mediated by having taken actions toward changing use, and by the presence of psychotic symptoms. CONCLUSION: These results extend previous research on the predictors of continuing care engagement after residential SUD programs. Clinicians can use information about characteristics that put patients at risk for shorter engagement in continuing care to target patients who might benefit from interventions to increase engagement in continuing care.

Continuity of care practices and substance use disorder patients' engagement in continuing care.

BACKGROUND: Substance use disorder (SUD) patients who engage in more continuing care have better outcomes, but information on practices associated with greater patient engagement and retention in continuing care remains elusive. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine if staff's continuity of care practices predict patients' engagement in continuing care in the 6 months after discharge from intensive SUD treatment and to determine if the impact of continuity of care practices on patients' engagement in continuing care differs for patients treated in inpatient/residential versus outpatient programs. RESEARCH DESIGN: Staff in 28 Veterans Affairs (VA) intensive SUD treatment programs with varying continuity of care practices provided data on 878 patients' alcohol and drug problems at treatment entry. At discharge, staff provided data on patients' motivation, treatment intensity, and on the continuity of care practices they used with each patient. VA administrative databases supplied data on patients' subsequent engagement in continuing care. Mixed-effects modeling was used to examine predictors of patients' engagement in care. RESULTS: Patients in outpatient programs who received more continuity of care engaged in continuing care significantly longer. More highly motivated outpatients, those with fewer alcohol problems at treatment entry, and patients who used VA services in the year before treatment also remained in continuing care longer. These findings did not hold for patients treated in inpatient/residential programs. CONCLUSIONS: Continuity of care practices predicted engagement in continuing care only for patients treated in outpatient SUD programs. More research is needed to identify effective continuity of care practices for patients treated in inpatient/residential programs.

Assessing continuity of care practices in substance use disorder treatment programs.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to describe the development and psychometric properties of parallel program-level and individual-level versions of the Continuity of Care Practices Survey (CCPS-P and CCPS-I), a measure that assesses four dimensions of continuity of care practices in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs. CCPS subscales assess staff efforts to ensure provider continuity, maintain contact with patients, coordinate care among providers and connect patients to community resources. METHOD: Program-level CCPS data were obtained from directors/coordinators of 129 intensive inpatient/residential and outpatient Department of Veterans Affairs SUD programs. These data were used to examine the internal consistency and discriminant validity of the CCPS-P. A parallel individual-level CCPS-I completed by counselors for 835 patients in a subsample of 28 SUD programs, assessed the continuity of care services that staff provided to individual patients. These data were used to examine the predictive validity of the CCPS-P. RESULTS: CCPS-P and CCPS-I subscales demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. Lack of significant correlations between CCPS-P subscales and SUD program characteristics (e.g., size, staffing) provided preliminary evidence for discriminant validity. CCPS-P subscales and the overall CCPS-P score predicted corresponding continuity of care services that staff provided to patients within programs, offering support for predictive validity. CONCLUSIONS: Managers can use the CCPS to monitor and improve SUD programs' continuity of care practices. The CCPS also enables researchers to determine the impact of continuity of care practices on the engagement of patients in continuing care and outcomes.