Northern Michigan Substance Abuse Services Continues to Save Money

Newton, MA (PRWEB) October 20, 2006 -- Northern Michigan Substance Abuse Services (NMSAS) recently reported saving almost $45 per assessment, and it’s not because of a decrease in their counseling staff. NMSAS began using the Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version (ASI-MV®) two years ago, and reports a significant savings in client assessment costs to date. NMSAS coordinates and oversees the delivery of substance abuse services for over 30 providers across 30 counties in northern Michigan.

“We’re saving the equivalent of about $225,000 over the course of a fiscal year by using the ASI-MV®. That equals a substantial savings to our organization. We have been able to put some of that money back into treatment by increasing the number of initial authorized counseling sessions from 10 to 11,” notes Sue Winter, Deputy Director of Programming at NMSAS.

The ASI-MV® is a client self-administered assessment tool that streamlines data gathering and enables staff to focus on counseling with the time they save during the computer-based assessment. Clients are able to use the audio and video program regardless of education level, reading ability, or prior computer experience.

“Some of our providers were initially concerned that the computer tool would be seen as impersonal or that clients would not consent to treatment. We studied that issue and found that virtually the same percentage of clients enter counseling regardless of whether they are administered the ASI-MV® or the traditional ASI face-to-face questionnaire (76% vs. 77%). We’re thrilled to be standardizing and improving our data collection while saving our agency money,” continues Winter.

The ASI-MV® enables counselors to spend more of their assessment time focusing on clients’ problem areas and developing targeted treatment plans. It also eliminates the possibility of interviewer drift that may occur during face-to-face ASI interviews.

“We’re impressed by NMSAS’s implementation of the ASI-MV® in their facilities. A consistent and thorough assessment is necessary for any successful treatment plan, and we are pleased to learn the ASI-MV® is helping with that process,” states Simon Budman, PhD, founder, President and CEO of Inflexxion, Inc.

In a single CD-ROM, the ASI-MV® consists of the English and Spanish editions, as well as a Criminal Justice version. In addition to the popular Microsoft Word Narrative Report, the ASI-MV® produces a one-page Brief Screening Summary to facilitate referrals and a one page Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Screening Summary to identify clients that may need further evaluation.

The ASI-MV® has been used over the past six years in almost 700 substance abuse treatment settings, prisons, drug courts, probation departments and welfare offices across the country.


About Inflexxion, Inc.
Inflexxion, Inc. (www.inflexxion.com), founded in 1989, creates behavioral health solutions for education, prevention and disease management using interactive multimedia and Internet technologies. Inflexxion’s innovative programs help health professionals, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies deliver quality care to diverse populations. Inflexxion is based in Newton, MA.

About Northern Michigan Substance Abuse Services
Northern Michigan Substance Abuse Services (www.nmsas.net/) coordinates and oversees the delivery of substance abuse services for 30 counties in Michigan. NMSAS advocates and supports efforts to proactively address relapse through services to prevent or provide early intervention in the event of relapse. NMSAS is located in Gaylord, MI.

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