Establishing and using a community inter‐agency client monitoring system to develop addictions treatment programs

The Substance Abuse Monitor is a comprehensive community-based addictions information system that forms the basis for an innovative approach to community needs assessment. This paper describes: (1) the conditions that created the need and support for the monitoring system; (2) the community development strategy that was employed to secure the commitment of agencies to the project; (3) the specifics of the needs assessment procedures; (4) some …