Process Evaluation of the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program at the W.J. Maxey Boys Training School in Michigan, 1995-1998

This study was an evaluation of a Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) program intended to reduce substance abuse and recidivism among youth placed at the W.J. Maxey Boys Training School in Michigan. The purposes of the evaluation were to describe the activities of the RSAT program and the relationship between program participants and success in the new program. There were five primary evaluation questions: (1) Were the participants appropriate? (2) Was the staff trained to deliver the planned services? (3) How did service delivery vary over time? (4) Did the participants make timely progress? and (5) What organizational factors changed service delivery and participant progress? Residents were admitted to the RSAT program and its comparison group on the basis of three criteria: (1) the resident was not a sex offender, (2) he had a known substance abuse history, and (3) he was expected to be released within one year. Youth in the RSAT program underwent intensive substance abuse psycho-education and relapse prevention in addition to the treatment provided in the Maxey Model. Intake data from the Family Independence Agency Information System (Part 1) were gathered for youths who entered Maxey between 1995 and 1998. These data were used to determine if significant differences existed between the RSAT and comparison groups. Additional data were collected through a client survey (Parts 2 and 3), which included questions that evaluated youth satisfaction with services and their predictions for success. Variables in Part 1 include program admission date, whether the youth was a sex offender, substance abuse history, the group and wing to which the youth belonged, age of first offense, age of admission to Maxey, offense class, number of arrests, number of previous placements, number of truancies, legal status, and date of first and second offense. Demographic variables include race, age, marital status, and county. Variables in Parts 2 and 3 assess the youth's opinions about school, food, group sessions, hall staff, family sessions, family visits, the overall program at Maxey, teachers, police, and judges. Additional variables include last grade of school completed, expected educational goal upon leaving Maxey, family substance abuse history, and prevalence of substance abuse in neighborhood.