Welfare Reform and the Changing Landscape of Substance Abuse Services for Low‐Income Women

Abstract

Recent welfare reform policies could fundamentally change the nature of public-sector substance abuse services available to women. This review summarizes what is presently known about substance abuse services and women on welfare, and identifies limitations in our current knowledge about the potential effects of welfare reform. Five crucial areas are examined in which research on services has fallen short: (1) assessing the need for substance abuse services across a broad spectrum of welfare populations, (2) exploring the role that alcohol and drug problems play in welfare dependency, (3) examining how welfare programs can serve as pathways to alcohol and drug treatment, (4) evaluating the effectiveness and costs of innovative welfare-treatment programs, and (5) understanding systems-level adaptations in substance abuse services for women that result from changing welfare policies. We conclude that researchers who study services should take a broad view of these issues-one that considers the unique situation of poor women and single mothers, that views substance abuse within a work impairment or disabilities framework, and one that is attuned to future changes in the effects of welfare reform as the economy and labor markets undergo change.

Behavioral Health Problems as Barriers to Work: Results from a 6-year Panel Study of Welfare Recipients

“…Nor have prior studies focused on the underlying processes that account for why substance abuse and mental health problems impact the employability of welfare recipients. 15 This study begins to address these issues by examining transitions from welfare to work in a 6-year panel study of aid recipients. After controlling for the human capital characteristics that have been a focus of explanation in the literature, such as level of education and work experience, 20,21 this study examines how a broad spectrum of behavioral health problems affect the process of seeking work while on public aid.…”

“…[11][12][13][14] A growing body of welfare reform research has addressed the broad relationships between mental health and substance abuse problems and work-related outcomes. [15][16][17][18][19] Such studies have generally established that substance abuse and mental health problems are associated with failed transitions from welfare to work. However, few studies have addressed the role of specific diagnoses on welfare and employment outcomes over time.…”

Social Determinants of Alcohol Use and Heaving Episodic Drinking Among Hispanic Young Adults

“…Involvement in heavy episodic drinking showed a similar difference with Hispanic young adults participating in governmental assistance programs to be less likely than their counterparts to engage in heavy episodic drinking. However, previous research found that Hispanic young adults who are recipients of governmental assistance programs are more likely to engage in alcohol use compared to the general population [31,32]. Similar research also found that increased alcohol use among Hispanics who were on temporary assistance to needy families and received public assistance for housing [33,34].…”

Welfare Receipt Trajectories of African-American Women Followed for 30 Years

“…23,25 Several studies have found that drug use is more common among welfare recipients than among comparable nonrecipient women. 23,[25][26][27] Other studies, however, have found no association between welfare receipt and substance use. 28 In a prospective study of welfare recipients, Schmidt and colleagues found that substance abuse was not a significant determinant of consistent welfare receipt over a 6-year period, but it was a strong predictor of repeat welfare use.…”