[ Publications & Presentations | Projects ]

Sacramento County AOD Treatment Initiative (AODTI)

In response to the flood of AOD cases in social services and public health caseloads, the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services enacted in 1993 an initiative to incorporate substance abuse services as an integral part of its service delivery systems. The Department developed a multi-faceted initiative focused on changing the child welfare and other systems through three levels of cross-training, new AOD assessment and referral protocols, and appropriate patient placement guidelines for referrals to a continuum of treatment programs.

Children and Family Futures recently completed its five-year independent evaluation of the AODTI. It is clear that AODTI training, combined with the new assessment system has helped increase work across systems to focus on client needs and success. Clients have immediate access to assessment and better prospects of being linked with treatment services. The more thorough assessment of clients means that in-depth targeting of clients with the greatest needs and immediate access to interim treatment services is occurring. More effective AOD services for a substantial number of CPS families have resulted. The AODTI remains a vital initiative that is still much more than a training initiative and that addresses several other facets of the CWS-AOD connection. CFF staff working on this project include, Dr. Nancy Young, Mr. Sid Gardner and Jorge López. If you would like further information on this project, please contact Jorge López.