Statistics are not showing that long term residential treatment is any more successful than outpatient.  Folks who have families, mental health issues and jobs are leaving long term residential programs - but those stats are frequently eliminated in calculations for overall efficacy.  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy coupled with medication is now showing more promise but needs more replication.  Now that white people are succumbing to prescription pain med cycles, the research is now important.  Before, folks would say it was a moral or racial issue that white populations supposedly don't have (never mind the huge alcohol abuse issue).