Providing post-treatment support in an outpatient alcohol and other drug treatment context: A survey of client opinion: A survey of client opinion

This paper presents findings from a survey that sought the post-treatment support preferences of a group of outpatient alcohol and other drug treatment clients. The client group (n=83) were presented with six possible models of post-treatment support and were asked to express their level of interest in using or receiving each model and, if interested, by what means they could best be provided. The six models included a range of pro-active (service initiated) and passive (client initiated) support services, variously accessible by telephone, mail, text-message, computer or in-person. Participants were also afforded an opportunity to identify alternative approaches. The results suggest pro-active telephone- and mail-based approaches to post-treatment support are favoured over passive in-person approaches and that computer and text-message approaches (whether passive or pro-active) may be least favourable in the contemporary environment.