United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Mental Health

Using the 3-Step Referral Method to Meet the Continuity of Care Performance Measures

 
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Using the 3-Step Referral Method to Meet the Continuity of Care Performance Measures
A counselor is comforting a patient by holding her hand.
VA providers are encouraged to maintain treatment with patients for 90-days and provide at least two contacts in the 2nd and 3rd months of care. One way to increase the clinical impact of continuing care contacts might be to use required contacts to follow-up with patients regarding their experiences in self-help groups.

Continuity of Care Contact Options
  • At the 2nd and 3rd month follow-up, use the 3-Step Referral Method as part of the required performance measure follow-up. Incorporating the 3-Step Referral Method may help patients stay in self-help treatment long enough to benefit from it.

  • Contacting patients by telephone about self-help treatment could be particularly beneficial to those who live far from outpatient SUD treatment.