The Decision Sciences Institute (DSI), located in Providence,
Rhode Island, was created in May 1999 as a PIRE Center. The long-term goal of DSI is to bring modern quantitative and qualitative thinking to bear on addictions and
mental health service delivery and clinical research. We seek to advance clinical research and clinical policy through the use of empirical studies.
Researchers at DSI participated in some of the early landmark
studies on less intensive treatment modalities for alcoholics. Dr. Stout, the Center Director of DSI, led the data analysis team for the NIAAA-funded Project MATCH,
one of the largest randomized alcohol treatment studies ever conducted. Project MATCH demonstrated that low-cost treatment modalities such as Motivational Enhancement
Treatment and Twelve-Step Facilitation treatment are highly viable alternatives to costlier clinical models. Currently, DSI researchers are examining treatment policy and
treatment systems to determine how treatment quality and organizational management impact clinical outcomes.
