Survey and description of the service

As has already been described, an unmet need (and therefore the adequacy of the service) can be assessed by comparing the service and need. In order that the service and the need can be compared, however, the existing service must first be systematically surveyed and described. In a similar way to the treatment monitoring system, most countries have at their disposal more or less differenti-ated systems to survey the services. With such instruments several aims can be pursued:

- Survey of the service spectrum and capacity, including the geographical dis-tribution as a basis for service planning

- Production of an "address book" of available services, which professionals or clients can refer to

- Supplement to the systematic collection of client data (treatment monitoring systems) as a prerequisite for a differentiated evaluation

- Survey of the characteristics of the structural quality as part of a comprehen-sive quality assurance

In the next sections the following three instruments will be described: Treatment Unit Form (TUF), Monitoring Area and Phase Unit Description Form (MAP-unit), Modular Instrument for the Description of Addiction Treatment (MIDES):

4.5.1. Treatment Unit Form (TUF)

The Treatment Unit Form is a questionnaire to be filled in by drug abuse treat-ment units. There are two formats of the TUF: TUF-A is designed for structured units/programmes and TUF-B for low-threshold units/programmes. The TUF pro-vides a complete and detailed profile of the structural and functional characteris-tics of the existing treatment services that facilitates:

- their visibility at national and European level through data that can be pre-sented in reports (e.g. the annual reports submitted to the EMCDDA),

- exchange of information between field workers,

- client / treatment matching purposes by providing an account of clients‘

choices of treatment services

The current versions of the TUF cover the following areas:

TUF-A (9 domains):

- Identification information

- Treatment unit/programme characteristics

- Treatment planning / approach / goals / services - Assessment of clients

- Completion of treatment - Staffing

- Finances - Evaluation

- Changes in the treatment unit/programme

TUF-B (6 domains):

- Identification information

- Low-threshold treatment unit/programme characteristics - Staffing

- Finances - Evaluation

- Changes in the treatment unit/programme

Languages: the TUF is available in English. The draft version is translated into French, Italian, Spanish and German. No information is yet available on the stage of translation of the final edition of the instrument.

Further information can be obtained from:

Prof. Dr. Anna Kokkevi

University Mental Health Research Institute 72-74 Vas. Sophias Av.

115 28 Athens Greece

E-mail: akokke@mail.ariadne-t.gr

4.5.2. Monitoring Area and Phase Unit Description Form (MAP-unit)

The MAP system is a concept for structured assessment, treatment planning and evaluation of therapeutic communities, treatment centres and other in-patient fa-cilities. The system consists of four instruments called MAP-unit (description of the unit), in (client intake form) , out (client discharge form) and MAP-up (client follow-MAP-up form). All instruments provide qualitative as well as quantita-tive measures. In the following section only MAP-unit will be described.

MAP-unit is a screening of the preconditions for treatment at the unit. It provides a resource profile, a goal profile and a treatment spectrum profile. It can be used in different sectors of care (e.g. social services, drug and alcohol treatment, prison and probation, psychiatric care and somatic care).

The current version of the MAP-unit covers the following areas:

- Basic data (framework settings, target groups, etc.) - Staff – quantity and competence

- Treatment goals of the unit - Treatment spectrum

- Treatment planning

- Services provided by or through the unit

Languages: the MAP-unit is available in English, Dutch/Flemish and Swedish.

Italian and French translations are under preparation.

Further information can be obtained from:

David Oberg

Tel: +31 43 343 86 26

E-mail: davidoberg@rocketmail.com Bjorn Sallmen

Tel: +46 413 297 15

E-mail: bjorn_sallmen@yahoo.com

Homepage: www.homestead.com/projectmaps (for downloading of forms)

4.5.3. Modular Instrument for the Description of Addic-tion Treatment (MIDES)

MIDES is a questionnaire for conducting pragmatic structural surveys of treat-ment facilities and services for drug abusers. The instrutreat-ment is modular in struc-ture. Besides the core variables, which are oriented to the entire treatment spec-trum, there are out-patient specific and in-patient specific modules. MIDES was developed for the description of facilities for abusers of illegal drugs. MIDES is not suitable for facilities which are purely for alcohol treatment.

The MIDES questionnaire covers the following areas:

A) Structural conditions

- Basic data on the treatment unit/programme - Finance

- Networking

- Organisation, Administration

B) Concept: theoretical background and service - Information on the concept

- Aims and service

- Regulations and controls C) Team

- Professional background - Personnel fluctuation - Personnel supervision D) Clientele

- Client selection - Intake and discharge - Diagnoses

- Joint responsibility of the clients

The data collected with MIDES is used for combined evaluations e.g., in combi-nation with client data or with data on process quality. The main research ques-tions refer to the connection between concept, objectives and the concrete serv-ice of the facilities on the one hand, and client characteristics, proportion of ter-minations and treatment successes on the other. In addition, the data forms the basis for a manual published at regular intervals in Switzerland in which all the in-patient therapy services in the field of drugs are listed according to the same criteria.

Languages: MIDES is only available in German.

Further information can be obtained from:

Susanne Schaaf

Addiction Research Institute Konradstrasse 32

Postfach 8031 Zürich Switzerland

Tel: +41 (0)1 273 40 24 Fax: +41 (0)1 273 50 23 E-mail: schaaf@isf.unizh.ch

Further instruments can be found in the Evaluation Instruments Bank (EIB) at EMCDDA: http://eib.emcdda.org/eib/databases_eib.shtml