Narconon treatment centers have a long-standing policy of staff members continuing contact with their graduates in order to follow-up on how they do when they return home. This in itself is rare in the treatment world, but for over 6 years Narconon Arrowhead has been taking their follow-ups even further. Our organization has implemented a standardized procedure called Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) that can be used with their program graduates to gain a more comprehensive view of how they are doing after completing the program.
ROM was developed for Narconon by outside research scientists and was based on the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment’s (CSAT) recommended survey and in compliance with the Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) of 1993. The survey looks at drug use, criminal activity, family and living conditions, mental and physical health, employment status, education involvement, and social connectedness. The ROM survey questionnaire consists of 18 common outcome measures, and is conducted directly with the student or with a close relative.
2006 and 2007 Routine Outcome Monitoring Results
The criteria for the ROM reports were based on surveys conducted by the Narconon Arrowhead staff with graduates who had completed the program at least 6 months prior. 6 months post-graduation is the recommended data-collection point according to CSAT. From this data two summary analyses were prepared for Narconon International and written in non-technical language for the general public.
In May 2006 the staff was able to contact 80% of the 65 students who had graduated 7 and 8 months prior to the survey date. The survey results were as follows:
• 67.3% of graduates reported being completely drug-free in the past 30 days, this included no alcohol use.
• 15.4% had been drug free, but had drank alcohol socially, or not to intoxication, in the past 30 days
• 51.9% of graduates reported being completely drug free since graduating the program.
• 76.9% were employed or attending school full-time.
• 96.2% were arrest-free, which means two graduates had new arrests, and two others were fulfilling previous legal obligations.
In February 2007 the staff was able to contact 95% of the 37 students who had graduated in the survey time frame. The results for the 2007 study were as follows:
• In the past 30 days 76.5% of graduates reported being completely drug free, while 8.8% reported being drug free but using alcohol socially.
• 76.5% reported being completely drug and alcohol free since graduating the program.
• 86% of those surveyed were working, or attending school full-time.
• Only 1 graduate had done time in jail since completing the program, and reported that he had turned himself in on parole violations related to drug use after leaving NNAH.
• 97.1% of the survey group had been arrest-free since completing the program.
Narconon Arrowhead’s Executive Director, Gary Smith, said the following when asked about the ROM procedure, “The outcome monitoring system is a good deal more than just tracking outcomes. It also includes creating a specific discharge plan and a strong after-care program. Our staff are in regular contact with individuals, finding out how they each are doing implementing their individual plans.” Smith added, “Routine Outcome Monitoring puts your entire organization’s ‘eye on the ball’ – ensuring that students’ needs are getting met. We have seen that it makes a difference.”
Other Narconon rehab centers are following NNAH’s lead, and implementing the Routine Outcome Monitoring procedure. Narconon Eslov in Sweden, which celebrated its 30-year anniversary in 2012, recently released the results of the ROM survey they conducted with their graduates who had completed the program in the specified data-collection period.
For more information on these outcome results go to:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10825051.htm