Exploring Ownership Structures and Funding Sources: Influences on Peer Support Services in Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Abstract
Abstract Objective: This study investigates how ownership structures and funding sources influence the availability of peer support services in outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities across North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using the National Survey of Substance Use Treatment Services (N-SSATS) data set limited to SUD treatment facilities in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia (N=1,171). Chi-squared test of independence was used to examine the relationships between earmarked funding, payment assistance, sliding fee scale (SFS), and peer support services analysis in the sample. Results: North Carolina accounts for the majority (52%) of facilities (public, federal and private) within the sample, Tennessee facilities comprise 26% and Virginia represents 21%. A majority of facilities (68.03%) did not receive earmarked funding; however, offering peer support services was more common among facilities who did receive earmarked funding (64.56%) compared to those without funding (44.15%; p <0.001). Facilities receiving earmarked funding were also more likely to offer payment on a sliding fee scale (53.58%) and payment assistance programs (72.67%) than facilities that do receive earmarked funding (p=<0.01). This also translated to differences in peer support services with only 42.94% of facilities with no assistance programs offering peer support services, compared to 67.46% among facilities that do offer financial assistance programs (p<0.001). Conclusion: Significant patterns connecting ownership type—public (state/local), federal, private for-profit, and private nonprofit—to the availability of peer support and financial services emerged. Receipt of dedicated earmarked funding was associated with increased offering of financial support services. These results underscore the critical impact of funding stream diversity on service accessibility and organizational priorities, particularly highlighting the need for improved outpatient access to SUD treatment in rural regions. Keywords: substance use disorder (SUD), funding, sliding fee scale (SFS), peer support, payment assistance
Start Time
16-4-2025 10:00 AM
End Time
16-4-2025 11:00 AM
Room Number
311
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
Grad/Comp Orals
Presentation Category
Health
Faculty Mentor
Nathan Hale
Exploring Ownership Structures and Funding Sources: Influences on Peer Support Services in Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment
311
Abstract Objective: This study investigates how ownership structures and funding sources influence the availability of peer support services in outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities across North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using the National Survey of Substance Use Treatment Services (N-SSATS) data set limited to SUD treatment facilities in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia (N=1,171). Chi-squared test of independence was used to examine the relationships between earmarked funding, payment assistance, sliding fee scale (SFS), and peer support services analysis in the sample. Results: North Carolina accounts for the majority (52%) of facilities (public, federal and private) within the sample, Tennessee facilities comprise 26% and Virginia represents 21%. A majority of facilities (68.03%) did not receive earmarked funding; however, offering peer support services was more common among facilities who did receive earmarked funding (64.56%) compared to those without funding (44.15%; p <0.001). Facilities receiving earmarked funding were also more likely to offer payment on a sliding fee scale (53.58%) and payment assistance programs (72.67%) than facilities that do receive earmarked funding (p=<0.01). This also translated to differences in peer support services with only 42.94% of facilities with no assistance programs offering peer support services, compared to 67.46% among facilities that do offer financial assistance programs (p<0.001). Conclusion: Significant patterns connecting ownership type—public (state/local), federal, private for-profit, and private nonprofit—to the availability of peer support and financial services emerged. Receipt of dedicated earmarked funding was associated with increased offering of financial support services. These results underscore the critical impact of funding stream diversity on service accessibility and organizational priorities, particularly highlighting the need for improved outpatient access to SUD treatment in rural regions. Keywords: substance use disorder (SUD), funding, sliding fee scale (SFS), peer support, payment assistance