This is one in a series of brief state-based reports intended to give the reader a quick overview of substance abuse and mental health issues within a single state. The data derive principally from national surveys conducted by the Office of Applied Studies, a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Sources for all data used in this report appear at the end.

Prevalence of Illicit Substance and Alcohol Use in Virginia

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) generates state-level estimates for 23 measures of substance use and mental health problems for four age groups: the entire state population over age 12 (12+); individuals age 12 to 17; individuals age 18 to 25; and individuals age 26 and older (26+). Since State estimates of substance use and abuse were first generated using the combined 2002-2003 NSDUHs and continuing until the most recent state estimates based on the combined 2005-2006 surveys, Virginia’s rates on all major prevalence measures have remained at or below the rates for the country as a whole.

Substance Abuse and Dependency in Virginia

Questions in NSDUH are used to classify persons as being dependent on or abusing specific substances based on criteria specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). As with the prevalence rates above, rates of past year abuse or dependence on illicit drugs or alcohol have remained consistently at or below the rates for the country as a whole for all population groups.

VIRGINIA PAST YEAR ABUSE OR DEPENDENCE ON ILLICIT DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AMONG INDIVIDUALS AGE 12 AND OLDER

Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities in Virginia

According to the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), in 2006, there were 196 addiction treatment facilities in Virginia. Of these, 55 (28%) were private nonprofit and 43 (22%) were private for-profit. The State government operated an additional 70 addiction treatment facilities.

The number of addiction treatment facilities in Virginia has declined from 228 in 2002 to 196 in 2006. The decrease is primarily attributable to a loss of 13 private for-profit facilities and 26 facilities owned/operated by the State government.

Although addiction treatment facilities may offer more than one modality of care, in 2006 the majority of Virginia addiction treatment facilities (167 of 196, or 85%) offered some form of outpatient care. Another 42 facilities offered residential addiction treatment, and 20 facilities had opioid treatment programs. In addition, 133 physicians and 35 addiction treatment programs were certified to provide buprenorphine treatment.

In 2006, 123 addiction treatment facilities (63%) received some form of Federal, State, county, or local government funds, and 97 facilities (50%) had agreements or contracts with managed care organizations for the provision of substance abuse treatment services.

Unmet Need for Addiction Treatment in Virginia

NSDUH defines unmet addiction treatment need as an individual who meets the criteria for abuse of or dependence on illicit drugs or alcohol according to the DSM-IV, but who has not received specialty addiction treatment for that problem in the past year. While rates of individuals needing and not receiving drug or alcohol treatment have generally remained at or below the national rates, those age 18 to 25 exhibit unmet addiction treatment need higher than other population groups both in Virginia and in the country as a whole.

Sources:
Facility Data: National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS)–2006 is available at: http://www.dasis.samhsa.gov.

Center for Mental Health Services Uniform Reporting System Output Tables 2006 is available at: http://mentalhealth.samhsa. gov/cmhs/MentalHealthStatistics/URS2006.asp

Substance Abuse Treatment Data: Treatment Episode Data Set–Concatenated File–is available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive: http://www. icpsr.umich.edu/SDA/SAMHDA.

Mental Health Treatment Data: Center for Mental Health Services Uniform Reporting System Output Tables 2006 is available at: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/ MentalHealthStatistics/URS2006.asp.

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