Contingency Management Evidence reviews the most effective behavioural reinforcement strategies for substance use disorders—how voucher- and prize-based programs increase abstinence, attendance, and medication adherence, and how to implement them ethically and at scale. This page turns trials into playbooks: target behaviours, schedule and magnitude of reinforcement, and safeguards against gaming. If you’re exploring a contingency management conference, you’ll find templates for urine testing, digital verification, and equity-minded reward structures. Because CM works best alongside skills and medications, we link to CBT for Substance Use to coordinate planning and maintain gains after incentives taper.

Programs succeed when they are simple, transparent, and meaningful. Define objective targets (verified abstinence, visit completion), set escalating rewards with resets that are fair, and deliver reinforcement immediately. Address funding and compliance concerns with clear documentation, anti-fraud processes, and community partnerships. Use digital wallets or low-barrier rewards, keep privacy central, and communicate CM as a proven clinical tool rather than “paying people to be sober.” Track outcomes and cost-effectiveness to secure sustainable support; celebrate milestones publicly (with permission) to build momentum.