Comparison of show-rates for telephone and walk-in referrals for substance abuse services

The investigator attempted to determine if individuals who make in-person (walk-in) referrals would be more likely to keep their initial appointment with a substance abuse counselor at an outpatient mental health clinic than will individuals who refer themselves over the telephone. Participants were 40 adults who had been ordered to undergo a substance abuse evaluation by the legal system between July and December 2001. The walk-in group consisted of 18 males and 2 females (mean age 34.04). The telephone-in group consisted of 18 males and 2 females (mean age 35.67). The investigator saw all participants for the initial appointment. The list of walk-in referrals\u27 attendance was compared to records of attendance for phone-in referrals during the same time period. Chi-square analysis revealed that participants in the walk-in group were not more likely to show up for the initial appointment than participants in the telephone-in group (χ2 = .476, p = .490). The results indicate that meeting with the counselor prior to the initial appointment does not decrease no-show rates