The results of $146 million in grant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration are inconclusive, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.
In a report published July 10, the GAO analyzed the outcomes of assisted outpatient treatment programs backed by SAMHSA.
Under assisted outpatient treatment, adults with serious mental illness can be ordered by a judge to participate in community-based treatment.
Here are five things to know:
- In 2014, federal law authorized SAMHSA to grant organizations funding to establish assisted outpatient treatment programs. The agency granted $146 million to 63 grantees between 2016 and 2024.
- Two HHS agencies made efforts to study the programs. The GAO determined the assessments of both of these programs to be inconclusive.
- Both studies suffered from methodology challenges, according to the GAO. Assisted outpatient programs vary widely from state to state, which makes comparisons difficult.
- The studies also relied on self-reported data from participants, which may have hindered accuracy, according to the GAO.
- Challenges assessing the programs’ effectiveness are likely to continue, the GAO found.
Read the full report here.
