The National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey (NDATSS) provides management- and policy-relevant information about substance abuse treatment in the United States. Substance abuse treatment programs are chosen for the study by random selection from a list of all such programs, provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Survey response rates range between 82-92%, with little to no evidence of non-response bias. The surveys are conducted by telephone. Data from Waves II through VII (1988, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2011) are currently available.

The surveys include information on (1) treatment practices; (2) patient characteristics like race, ethnicity, employment status, and patient age; (3) program characteristics like program ownership (whether it is a public, private for-profit, or private non-profit institutions) and accreditation; and (4) managerial and staff attitudes towards treatment best practices, harm reduction, and abstinence.