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Access to substance abuse treatment in the Cape Town metropole ...

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hospitals. These f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs are <strong>in</strong> keep<strong>in</strong>g with prior research which also reportsthat complex programme admission and eligibility criteria may hamper access <strong>to</strong><strong>substance</strong> <strong>abuse</strong> <strong>treatment</strong> (Appel et al., 2004; Hser et al., 1998).Taken <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong>se barriers contribute <strong>to</strong> delays <strong>in</strong> access<strong>in</strong>g care, <strong>in</strong>dicatedby lengthy wait<strong>in</strong>g periods for affordable <strong>treatment</strong> slots. As mentionedpreviously, <strong>the</strong>se wait<strong>in</strong>g periods negatively affect access <strong>to</strong> <strong>treatment</strong>; with<strong>in</strong>dividuals often abandon<strong>in</strong>g attempts <strong>to</strong> access <strong>treatment</strong> services (Grant, 1997;Hser et al., 1998; Tucker et al., 2004). In addition, delays <strong>in</strong> access<strong>in</strong>g care alsocontribute <strong>to</strong> perceptions that <strong>treatment</strong> services are relatively <strong>in</strong>accessible forpeople from HDCs - a fac<strong>to</strong>r which has been shown <strong>to</strong> limit access <strong>to</strong> <strong>treatment</strong>.These f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs highlight <strong>the</strong> need for <strong>in</strong>terventions that streaml<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> processof access<strong>in</strong>g <strong>treatment</strong> for persons from HDCs. These <strong>in</strong>terventions shouldattempt <strong>to</strong> reduce delays <strong>in</strong> access<strong>in</strong>g <strong>treatment</strong>, not only by <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>availability of affordable <strong>treatment</strong> services but also by <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> availabilityof affordable de<strong>to</strong>xification and psychiatric services. In addition, <strong>in</strong>terventionstarget<strong>in</strong>g delays <strong>in</strong> access<strong>in</strong>g <strong>treatment</strong> should attempt <strong>to</strong> develop a structuredreferral algorithm for <strong>in</strong>dividuals from HDCs that <strong>in</strong>cludes patient placementcriteria. F<strong>in</strong>ally, <strong>in</strong>terventions should also attempt <strong>to</strong> reduce <strong>the</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>istrativerequirements for admission <strong>to</strong> non-profit <strong>treatment</strong> facilities. This could beachieved by limit<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> number of reports required prior <strong>to</strong> patient placement.6.3.2. Resource-related barriers with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>treatment</strong> systemF<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs also suggest that resource-related fac<strong>to</strong>rs limit <strong>the</strong> extent <strong>to</strong> which<strong>substance</strong> <strong>abuse</strong> <strong>treatment</strong> facilities can provide affordable services <strong>to</strong> clientsfrom HDCs. More specifically, <strong>the</strong> state’s limited allocation of f<strong>in</strong>ancial resources<strong>to</strong> non-profit <strong>substance</strong> <strong>abuse</strong> <strong>treatment</strong> facilities restricts <strong>the</strong> capacity of <strong>the</strong>sefacilities <strong>to</strong> provide affordable <strong>treatment</strong> services, by contribut<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> staffshortages, jeopardiz<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>ability of <strong>treatment</strong>, and hamper<strong>in</strong>g skillsdevelopment with<strong>in</strong> <strong>treatment</strong> facilities.121

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