Public Policy Center | Part 3: Barriers to Service Provision

Part 3: Barriers to Service Provision

In a series of questions relating to barriers to service provision, the largest percentage of survey respondents feel there are “sometimes” or “often” obstacles to starting and maintaining a program, especially with regards to (a) a lack of staff due to insufficient funding, (b) a lack of certified/trained workforce, (c) a lack of staff due to high turnover, (d) insufficient per diem by the State, (e) restrictions on professional licensure for people with convictions, and (f) lack of reimbursement by insurance companies for substance abuse treatment.

The largest percentage of survey respondents feel there are “sometimes” or “often” obstacles to providing quality services to clients with convictions, especially with regards to (a) a lack of providers in rural areas, (b) too much time lapse between sentencing and treatment, (c) a lack of certified/trained workforce, (d) a lack of providers that are DSHS/TDCJ certified, and (e) too much time lapse between release from incarceration and community-based treatment.

The largest percentage of survey respondents do need additional funding to remove or minimize obstacles to efficiently providing substance abuse services to individual clients.

Finally, for respondents that were able to identify laws that hinder clients with records from succeeding in recovery, the largest percentages identified statutory barriers to housing and employment as problems.

Frequency with which the Following Situations Pose Administrative Obstacles to Starting Up and Maintaining a Program/Service/ District Reentry Center:

Lack of Certified/Trained Workforce

For the 84.4% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 8.9% feel this is never an obstacle

· 15.8% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 41.8% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 33.6% feel this is often an obstacle

Restrictions on Professional Licensure for People with Convictions

For the 77.5% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 22.4% feel this is never an obstacle

· 23.9% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 28.4% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 25.4% feel this is often an obstacle

Lack of Staff Due to High Turnover

For the 83.2% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 13.2% feel this is never an obstacle

· 25.7% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 34.7% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 26.4% feel this is often an obstacle

Lack of Staff Due to Insufficient Funding

For the 83.8% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 9.0% feel this is never an obstacle

· 10.3% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 27.6% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 53.1% feel this is often an obstacle

Lack of Reimbursement by Insurance Companies for Mental Health Services

For the 39.9% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 39.1% feel this is never an obstacle

· 17.4% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 15.9% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 27.5% feel this is often an obstacle

Lack of Reimbursement by Insurance Companies for Substance Abuse Treatment

For the 45.7% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 35.4% feel this is never an obstacle

· 13.9% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 15.2% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 35.4% feel this is often an obstacle

Insufficient Per-Diem Reimbursement by the Federal Government

For the 39.0% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 47.8% feel this is never an obstacle

· 20.9% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 4.5% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 26.9% feel this is often an obstacle

Insufficient Per-Diem Reimbursement by the State

For the 58.4% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 25.7% feel this is never an obstacle

· 19.8% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 14.9% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 39.6% feel this is often an obstacle

Statutory Restrictions on Starting Up the Program

For the 54.1% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 25.8% feel this is never an obstacle

· 24.7% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 31.2% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 18.3% feel this is often an obstacle

Restrictions on Qualifying for Government Contracts

For the 56.4% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 32.0% feel this is never an obstacle

· 24.7% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 21.6% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 21.6% feel this is often an obstacle

Requirement to Provide Both Security and Treatment as Contract Provisions

For the 48.5% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 28.9% feel this is never an obstacle

· 31.3% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 19.3% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 20.5% feel this is often an obstacle

NOTE: Please see Appendix C (Question 7) for respondents’ descriptions of the most severe limitations to starting up and maintaining a program/service/District Reentry Center.

Frequency with which the Following Situations Pose Barriers/Obstacles to Providing Quality Services to People with Convictions:

Legal Restrictions on Staff Contacting Clients for Follow-Up Evaluation and Services

For the 66.5% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 40.0% feel this is never an obstacle

· 29.6% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 21.7% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 8.7% feel this is often an obstacle

Legal Restrictions Preventing Recovered Clients from Outreach in Jails/Prisons

For the 62.4% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 25.0% feel this is never an obstacle

· 24.1% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 25.9% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 25.0% feel this is often an obstacle

Lack of Certified/Trained Workforce

For the 85.5% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 12.9% feel this is never an obstacle

· 15.0% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 41.5% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 30.6% feel this is often an obstacle

Restrictions on Professional Licensure for People with Convictions

For the 75.1% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 18.5% feel this is never an obstacle

· 26.9% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 32.3% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 22.3% feel this is often an obstacle

Lack of Information Referral Networks Among Providers

For the 85.0% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 8.2% feel this is never an obstacle

· 30.6% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 35.4% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 25.9% feel this is often an obstacle

Watered-Down Services in My Agency Due to Insufficient Funding

For the 80.2% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 18.8% feel this is never an obstacle

· 22.5% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 27.5% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 31.2% feel this is often an obstacle

Lack of Providers in Rural Areas

For the 74.6% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 8.5% feel this is never an obstacle

· 8.5% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 25.6% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 57.4% feel this is often an obstacle

Lack of Providers that are DSHS/TDCJ Certified

For the 74.4% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 13.3% feel this is never an obstacle

· 14.8% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 36.7% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 35.2% feel this is often an obstacle

Too Much Time Lapse Between Sentencing and Treatment

For the 75.7% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 6.9% feel this is never an obstacle

· 18.3% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 36.6% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 38.2% feel this is often an obstacle

Too Much Time Lapse Between Release From Incarceration and Community-Based Treatment

For the 69.8% of respondents who indicated that this situation is applicable to them:

· 9.2% feel this is never an obstacle

· 20.8% feel this is rarely an obstacle

· 35.0% feel this is sometimes an obstacle

· 35.0% feel this is often an obstacle

NOTE: Please see Appendix C (Question 8) for respondents’ suggestions or comments about barriers/obstacles to providing quality services to people with convictions.

If Providers Experience Insufficient Funding as a Barrier to Efficiently Providing Substance Abuse Services to Individual Clients: The Additional Funds Needed Per Year or Per Diem to Remove or Significantly Minimize the Barrier

53.8% of respondents claimed they experience insufficient funding as a barrier to efficiently providing substance abuse services to individual clients.

NOTE: Please see Appendix C (Question 9) for respondents’ estimates of additional funds needed to remove/minimize barriers to providing substance abuse services.

Knowledge of Laws That Hinder Clients with Criminal Records from Getting And Keeping Meaningful Employment or Other Essential Components of Recovery (Housing, Education, Skills Training, Etc.)

· 59.0% claim they do not know of any such laws

· 41.0% claim they do know of such laws

NOTE: Please see Appendix C (Question 10) for respondents’ examples of laws that hinder re-entry efforts.