Retrospective analyses of additional services for methadone maintenance patients.

We report on the 6-month outcome of a retrospective analysis of additional treatment services for patients entering a methadone maintenance program who transferred from community methadone treatment programs (n = 83) or entered off the street (n = 83) not currently on methadone. Patients were participating in a clinical treatment trial examining the effectiveness of Community Reinforcement Approach and Relapse Prevention. Patients in the methadone transfer group were using less heroin at intake than patients newly initiated onto methadone and both groups improved from additional treatment services in the following problem areas specifically: drug, alcohol, legal, employment, social, and in some measures of psychiatric distress. Therefore, both groups of patients in this study benefited from additional treatment services.