Public Sector SUD Cost Avoidance Calculator.
Government agencies, justice systems, and state health departments are under pressure to justify every dollar spent. Tighter budgets and staffing shortages demand smarter tools – ones that screen more individuals, close the referral loop, reduce costly recidivism, and demonstrate measurable population-level impact. Calculate the estimated costs of individuals with SUD across your community, and the corresponding estimated cost avoidance available through the implementation of digital tools purpose built to improve SUD prevention, retention and sustained recovery.
Population Assessment
Total population served
Enter your county, region, or state population.
SUD prevalence rate
5%
17%
35%
17%
Estimated residents with a SUD
Estimated number of residents age 12+ with SUD based on total population × SUD prevalence rate.
—
—
Average annual cost per person
Based on national data, the average annual cost per person with SUD is $9,100. This is calculated based on costs of ED visits, inpatient care, criminal justice, and social services costs. Adjust the cost per person pricing if it differs for your region.
Estimated annual cost of SUD for your population
—
—
Complete the Form
Estimated Addressable SUD Patient Market
Adjusted treatment population
Adjust the treatment population to reflect local program data. The 13% default reflects the national rate of treatment access among those who need it (SAMHSA NSDUH, 2023).
—
Estimated rate of return to a higher level of care
10%
40%
60%
40%
Addressable at-risk population
—
—
Estimated Annual Cost Avoidance
These figures represent potential cost avoidance based on a focused approach to improving recovery engagement of your at-risk, in-treatment population with SUD. Actual impact depends on program implementation following best practices.
Estimated individuals with SUD retained in recovery
—
—
Estimated reduction in costs
Calculated as individuals retained in recovery × the average annual cost per person entered on tab 1. This represents the avoided cost for each person retained and not returning to a higher level of care.
—
—
Total Cost Avoidance
—
—
Additional savings are available through prevention and improved linkages to care. CHESS Health’s automated SBIRT and closed loop referral platform can further improve cost savings.
How cost exposure is calculated
SUD population = total population × prevalence rate (default
Cost per person =
Total cost = SUD population × cost per person
17% — SAMHSA NSDUH, 2023; adjustable via slider on tab 1)Cost per person =
$9,100 default — the white paper’s conclusion figure for public agencies, driven by repeat emergency department visits, inpatient hospitalizations, and the compounding pressure on social services, family support systems, and criminal justice. Editable to reflect local data.Total cost = SUD population × cost per person
How CHESS Health impact is calculated
Treatment population = user input (default: SUD population ×
At-risk population = treatment population × relapse rate (default
Calculated reduction = at-risk population ×
Cost avoidance = avoided readmissions ×
The 24% is applied only to the population in treatment and the specific cost category it was measured against — not to the total SUD cost burden.
Actual savings will vary based on implementation fidelity, population characteristics, and local system conditions.
13% — national share receiving treatment, SAMHSA NSDUH, 2023)At-risk population = treatment population × relapse rate (default
40%, adjustable — conservative end of the 40–60% of individuals with SUD who experience relapse requiring return to a higher level of care; NIDA, 2020)Calculated reduction = at-risk population ×
24% — CHESS reduction in rate of return to a higher level of care (Oklahoma DMHSAS study)Cost avoidance = avoided readmissions ×
$9,766 — average cost of an adult residential episode (NDAS, 2022)The 24% is applied only to the population in treatment and the specific cost category it was measured against — not to the total SUD cost burden.
Actual savings will vary based on implementation fidelity, population characteristics, and local system conditions.
National benchmarks
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total annual SUD economic burden | $442B | Combined annual economic impact of alcohol and drug misuse — White Paper |
| National SUD population (age 12+) | 48.5M | SAMHSA NSDUH, 2023 |
| SUD prevalence rate | 17% | SAMHSA NSDUH, 2023 |
| Share of SUD population receiving treatment | 13% | SAMHSA NSDUH, 2023 — White Paper |
| Cost per person with SUD (public agencies) | $9,100 | White Paper conclusion — public agencies absorb ~$9,100 per person with SUD annually |
| SUD relapse / return-to-care rate | 40–60% | NIDA, Treatment and Recovery, July 2020; 40% used as conservative estimate |
| CHESS return to care reduction | 24% | 24% lower rate of return to a higher level of care — Oklahoma DMHSAS study (White Paper) |
| Avg. residential episode cost | $9,766 | National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NDAS), 2022 — White Paper |
| Annual SUD hospital costs | $13B+ | Peterson et al., JAMA Network Open, 2021 |
| SUD-related ED visit cost | $1,983 | HCUP Statistical Brief, AHRQ |
| SUD-related inpatient stay cost | $9,693 | Peterson et al., JAMA Network Open, 2021 |
| Annual incarceration cost per person | $35K–$60K | White Paper; midpoint $47,500 used in allocation |
| SUD prevalence in prison population | 65% | National Institute on Drug Abuse — White Paper |
| Recidivism rate | 50%+ | Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2018 — White Paper |
| Children with parent with SUD | 8.7M (1 in 8) | Lipari & Van Horn, SAMHSA, 2017 — White Paper |
| Annual child welfare spend | $34B+ | Bipartisan Policy Center, 2024 — White Paper |
Data sources
All national benchmarks are drawn from peer-reviewed research and federal data sources cited in the CHESS Health White Paper: The True Cost of Substance Use Disorders in the United States. Estimated CHESS Health impact reflects published outcomes and represents a potential range, not a guaranteed result.
