10.1177/0886260503256659ARTICLEJOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE / November 2003Ogle, Baer / SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT ENGAGEMENT Addressing the Service Linkage Problem Increasing Substance Abuse Treatment Engagement Using Personalized Feedback Interventi

Two personalized substance abuse assessment and feedback interventions were tested for effectiveness in engaging female domestic violence shelter residents in sub-stance abuse treatment. One hundred forty-seven residents were assessed for quan-tity and frequency of substance use, negative consequences due to use, motivation to change substance use behavior, and psychopathological symptoms related to sub-stance abuse. Assessment identified (33) 22 % of participants as heavy substance users. Twenty of the 33 heavy-using residents received one of two personalized sub-stance use feedback interventions: face-to-face feedback or written feedback placed in shelter mailboxes. Treatment engagement was defined as attending at least one substance abuse treatment session within 30 days after the intervention. Results showed a significant difference in treatment engagement rates in favor of the face-to-face feedback group (60 % vs. 0%). The results provide preliminary data suggesting that substance abuse assessment can be effectively accomplished in the shelter envi-ronment and that the face-to-face feedback procedure may be an effective interven-tion to bridge the service linkage problem between domestic violence services and substance abuse treatment