Key Linkages Between Child Welfare and Substance Abuse Treatment: Social Functioning Improvements and Client Satisfaction in a Family Drug Treatment Court*

Abstract

This article summarizes early findings regarding social functioning and client satisfaction from a longitudinal study of women receiving treatment in a family drug treatment court located in the Midwestern United States (N = 33). Drug treatment court participants were interviewed at program entry and when they had completed 6 months of treatment. Family drug court participants reported significant improvements in employment status and increases in earned income after 6 months of treatment. Respondents also reported improved social functioning and high overall levels of satisfaction with treatment. Findings and implications for future research are discussed.

Nipping It in the Bud®: Adopting a Family Drug Court Approach to Fighting the Cycle of Alcohol Addiction for Children When Parents Are Convicted of Dui

“…63 Although most research on Family Drug Courts has been met with widespread acclaim, there is an admittedly small amount of research that has been completed regarding them, due both to their infancy and relatively slow proliferation across the country. 64 Based on the same fundamental principles and policies of traditional Drug Courts, Family Drug Courts are aimed at serving substance-abusing adults involved with the court system due to a showing of abuse and/or neglect issues regarding their children, and the resulting interruption of custody. Rather than simply focusing on the offenders by themselves, as traditional Drug Courts do, Family Drug Courts place a focus on the well-being of the family as a whole, with a focus on the children's best interests and general welfare.…”

Family Drug Court, Targeted Parent Training and Family Reunification: Did this Enhanced Service Strategy Make A Difference?

“…Much previous research on FDCs is limited in rigor (Bryan & Havens, ). Variations in program components, study design, sample frame and size, strength of the comparison group, use of multivariate statistics, metrics for defining successful outcomes, and whether the study has been subjected to the peer review process make a systematic review of FDC efforts challenging.…”

FAMILY DRUG TREATMENT COURTS AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH1

“…The FDTC's treatment philosophy is to provide supportive and therapeutic services directed at strengthening social supports, social and occupational functioning, financial and child support, enhancing educational opportunities, and obtaining employment. The overall intended goals are prolonged periods of recovery from substance abuse and dependence, improved physical and psychological health, reduced recidivism, and the development of healthy relationships with children (Bryan & Havens, 2008).…”

“…Although the primary motivation for the majority of participants in FDTC is reunification with children, many participants are also motivated by a desire to obtain sobriety and regain a healthy lifestyle (Bryan & Havens, 2008; Worcel et al., 2008). Given that substance abuse, unemployment, gender, life stress, social stability, socioeconomic factors, housing stability, time in treatment, and treatment completion have all been shown to predict outcomes in FDTCs (Grella, Hser, & Huang, 2006; Kumpfer, Whiteside, Greene, & Allen, 2010; Worcel et al., 2008) and several of these predictors have also been identified as important social determinants of health (Braveman, Egerter, & Mockenhaupt, 2011), it is critical that these factors are linked to both of the key ingredients of FDTCs and promotion of health.…”