Availability of Women-Centered Drug Treatment Services in the United States [1

Abstract

AIMS: Women who receive gender-specific drug treatment services have improved outcomes. We investigated how the availability of women-centered services has changed over time, geographic variation, and whether treatment availability corresponds to need. We hypothesized that, although treatment availability has increased over time, there are still disparities between treatment need and available services. METHODS: The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services was used to describe treatment availability from 2002 to 2010. Facilities with specific programs for women were contrasted with programs without these services. Treatment need was captured from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health 2002–2009. Services were compared over time and by geographic variation using STATA 11 and ArcGIS 10.2. RESULTS: There was a decline over time in specific programs reported for women (38% in 2002 compared with 32% in 2010, P<.001). There was an increase in facilities providing transportation (35–38%) and domestic violence counseling (33–36%) and a decline in peripartum and postpartum services. Facilities that reported specific programs for women were more likely to report trauma-related counseling, child care, housing assistance, and domestic violence counseling (P<.001 for all). There was a decline in women-centered services across a geographic gradient, from 41% in urban areas to 20% in small, non–urban-adjacent regions (P<.001). Availability of treatment services was not proportional to need (P<.001). CONCLUSION: There has been minimal change in women-centered services in drug treatment facilities over time. Marked geographic disparities exist for all components of women-centered care, and the availability of treatment services does not match treatment need nationwide.