PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCH
Crossroads Centre is committed to contributing to the advancement of research in the addiction industry. This means that we conduct our own research studies and we have published and presented these studies internationally. Our research department is led byThomas C. Martin, M.D. F-ASAM (Certified Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine).
Dr. Thomas C. Martin, MD, FAAP, FASAM is Coordinator of Education and Research for Crossroads Centre Antigua. His previous research "Client Characteristics Associated with Failure to Complete Residential Treatment at a Multicultural Drug and Alcohol Treatment Facility in Antigua West Indies" was recently published by the West Indian Medical Journal 2010: 59(1):50. For additional information contact him at tcmartin@emh.org
Crossroads’ publishes CARE program results
The most basic question for all of us who suffer from addiction or treat those who do is, “How well does addiction treatment work?” Addiction is a chronic disease, but it is often treated in short-term, residential settings. Crossroads Centre has always followed clients informally after treatment, but the assessment of treatment outcomes was less than scientific. As the emphasis on evidence based outcomes in medical settings increases, the value and results of addiction treatment will be under more intense scrutiny.
In 2007, Crossroads initiated a program of continuing care of clients admitted to Crossroads Centre. The program is called the Crossroads Aftercare and Recovery Evaluation (CARE) program. Clients provided consent to be contacted at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 months after their stay. Using a short questionnaire, Crossroads obtained information on current drug or alcohol use and aftercare compliance. In addition, relationship status, legal issues, employment and spiritual issues are assessed. This type of ongoing contact, known as “recovery monitoring check-ups,” have been found to be useful in other treatment settings.
The early results of the CARE program have been reported at the Medical and Scientific Meetings of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, in New Orleans, in April of 2009 and in San Francisco, in 2010. The first report concerned client acceptance of the CARE program. It was found that the large majority of clients liked the idea of ongoing contact. Of clients completing their stay, 96% agreed to participate in the CARE program. This was about 90% of the clients admitted to Crossroads. These results provided reassurance that ongoing contact with clients could be successful.
The second report concerned the identification of early relapse identified through the CARE program. Of those who signed up for the CARE program, 17% withdrew permission for contact, while 84% of those enrolled in CARE responded at least once to CARE contact. Of the clients who participated, 46% reported abstinence within a twelve month period. Within this same period, 42% of clients were known to have relapsed, with approximately 60% of those identified in the first three months. This evidence supports the assertion that the first 90 days following treatment is indeed a critical time frame with high potential for relapse.
The CARE results confirm the need for clients in early recovery to establish a consistent pattern consisting of continuing care, daily attendance and participation with Twelve Step groups, and other strong recovery supports. Despite statistics of early relapse, providing a formal mechanism for routine client follow-up with the CARE program adds opportunity for early identification and intervention for relapse prevention.
In the future, Crossroads plans to further analyze the information obtained in the first several years of the program. The information obtained through the CARE program will allow Crossroads to support clients by identifying early relapse. Contact can also provide support for those clients doing well. Such information also helps examine program strengths and areas of further development, which in turn will aid future clients.