Following the pathways to substance use treatment: A five-year project will examine how consumers use managed behavioral health and EAP services

Abstract

Substance abuse negatively impacts public safety, reduces workers’ productivity, and contributes to higher healthcare costs, premature death, and disability for millions of Americans. In fact, substance use disorders are among the most common medical conditions. Although clinical advances in recent decades have increased the availability of effective treatments for substance use disorders, these treatments persistently are underutilized. Reducing the impact of substance abuse on rising healthcare costs and worker productivity is particularly relevant to employers, as most substance users and most of those with substance use disorders are employed. Furthermore, a majority of the nonelderly population (60%) is enrolled in employer-paid insurance plans. Employees and their dependents in such plans often have multiple pathways to specialty substance abuse and other behavioral health treatments, including managed behavioral healthcare (MBHC) carve-out plans, employee assistance programs (EAPs) and, in some cases, “integrated” products that combine features of both product types. To facilitate treatment access and engagement for those with substance use disorders, understanding the treatment pathways individuals utilize is critical.