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The past decade has seen a marked increase in the illicit use of opioids, as well as a doubling of the percentage of individuals seeking treatment for opioid use disorders. However, little is known about the differences between opioid users and nonopioid users in residential treatment. Further, no studies have been published that compare opioid users and nonopioid users in treatment for co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. To address this gap, this study examined differences between opioid and nonopioid substance users in residential treatment for co-occurring disorders. Data was drawn from 1,972 individuals treated between 2009 and 2011 at one of three private residential treatment centers that provide integrated treatment for co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. Data was collected at program intake, and 1- and 6-month postdischarge using the Addiction Severity Index and the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment. To examine within-group changes in substance use, addiction severity, and mental health across time, linear mixed-model analyses were conducted with facility, year, age, gender, and race included as covariates. The authors found more similarities than differences between the two groups on baseline characteristics, treatment motivation, length of stay, and outcomes on measures of substance use, addiction severity, and mental health. The results demonstrate that though opioid users entered treatment with higher levels of substance use–related impairment, they were just as successful in treatment outcomes as their non-opioid-using peers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Underage drinking, or binge drinking, has become a major concern in U.S. society. At The University of Tennessee (UT) a computer-based intervention was put into place for the past 3 years with funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The intervention was provided to all college students via UT's computer network system and was completed mostly online. Students were given a computerized, standardized assessment of alcohol use, and then a brief intervention was given based on the students' information. The intervention targeted students who were at highest risk for developing unsafe alcohol behaviors and/or increasing prior alcohol consumption habits in their first year of college. More than 54,000 graduate and undergraduate students completed the program. Since the launch of the program binge drinking has dropped 27% on campus, frequent binge drinking dropped 44%, and the number of liquor law violations to 18- to 20-year-olds decreased from 542 in 2004 to approximately 158 in 2007. The use of a computer-based intervention was comprehensive, low cost, and required low maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Active substance users have been characterized as ambivalent about accessing treatment services. Few studies have addressed the social context and related barriers that individuals experience in addressing substance abuse problems. These barriers appear to be heightened for female methamphetamine users living in rural areas of Appalachia. The purpose of this study is to document the willingness of active female methamphetamine users to access substance abuse treatment services, their ability to access substance abuse treatment services, and the barriers they experienced in accessing substance abuse treatment services. Findings from a sample of 153 rural female methamphetamine users revealed the majority of respondents met the criteria for substance dependence (99.3%), believed they had a drug problem (84.9%), believed they needed treatment services (62.9%), and wanted to go to treatment "now" (51.4%). However, only one fourth (26.8%) had accessed treatment, and many had experienced barriers in attempting to enter treatment services.