Measuring What Matters: Assessing the Quality of Drug Treatment Services

SESSION INFO

Monday, March 2, 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Session Type: Workshop

Individuals under correctional supervision have disproportionately high rates of substance use disorders and elevated risk for opioid overdose mortality. Efforts to reduce substance use and drug-related crime include drug courts, alternative to incarceration programs, and correctional treatment programs. Yet relatively little is known about the nature and quality of treatment services or its impact on outcomes. The Treatment Quality Index (TQI) is a new framework designed to assess the quality of drug treatment by drawing on existing guidelines, international standards and existing research. This workshop introduces the TQI and its seven dimensions of treatment quality, exploring their relevance for evaluating programs in the US and international contexts. Participants will apply the TQI to a treatment program of their choosing and reflect whether it meets baseline quality criteria. Through group discussions, participants will provide feedback on the TQI and consider its potential applications for program evaluation, contracting, and quality improvement.

SESSION PRESENTERS

Steven Belenko
Professor, Temple University


Steven Belenko, Professor in the Department of Criminal justice at Temple University, has conducted extensive NIH-funded research on drug abuse and crime, the impact of substance use on adult and juvenile legal systems, and development and testing of interventions to improve implementation of substance use treatment and other health services.


Deborah Koetzle
Professor and Corrections Lab Director, John Jay College of Criminal Justice


Deborah Koetzle, PhD, is Professor of Criminal Justice and Director of the Corrections Lab at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her research interests center around effective correctional interventions in institutional and community settings, with a focus on problem-solving courts, organizational culture, program evaluation, and international correctional policies and practices.


Stephanie Spiegel, PhD
Senior Research Associate, John Jay College of Criminal Justice


Stephanie Spiegel, PhD, is a senior research associate at The Corrections Lab at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her research interests include corrections and correctional policy, with a focus on the use of evidence-based correctional practices, continuous quality improvement, and program evaluation. Dr. Spiegel has also developed tools and interventions for use in correctional settings and provided technical assistance to agencies nationwide.