Access to Recovery

This report examines the benefits of Washington State’s Access to Recovery (ATR) program, which provides recovery support services to adults in recovery from substance use disorders. Changes in outcomes between a one-year baseline and one-year outcome period were examined for ATR recipients relative to a statistically matched comparison group. The analysis examines differences in substance use disorder treatment rates, employment outcomes, arrests and hospital utilization. We found that, relative to the matched comparison group, ATR clients experienced greater increases in outpatient SUD treatment and employment, and greater decreases in incidence of arrests. These outcomes were found both for clients who had received SUD treatment in the baseline year and those who had not. Statistically significant declines were also found in rates of hospitalization from Emergency Department admissions and for other hospitalizations, relative to changes experienced by the matched comparison group. No significant effects on outpatient Emergency Department visits were found.