This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a unique comprehensive intervention program for families with in-utero cocaine-exposed infants. The Family Rehabilitation Program (FRP), newly funded by New York City, combines intensive social services with guaranteed drug abuse treatment slots for mothers at 28 community-based programs city-wide. Special efforts are made to involve extended family members and significant male figures in case management. FRP is designed to meet the special service needs of mainly minority-group, cocaine/crack-dependent women with drug- exposed infants and young children who have been largely excluded from the traditional drug abuse treatment system. The objectives of the study are: 1. To conduct an outcome evaluation of the effectiveness of FRP, focusing on: retention in the program; reduction of parental drug abuse; improvement of parents' social and psychological adjustment; prevention of foster care; improvement of infant's/children's physical and emotional care; reduction of re-reports for child abuse/neglect. 2. To conduct a process evaluation of FRP that will describe the case management and drug treatment process for FRP participants. 3. To determine predictors of differential outcomes, including both clients background and admission variables and during-treatment variables. 4. To examine how and to what extent FRP programs are involving significant male figures in case management and services, and to assess the impact of male involvement on outcomes for families. 5. To determine the impact of differences in program and treatment climates on outcomes for FRP families. A 15-month, prospective longitudinal cohort study of all families admitted to FRP during a one year period (N=777) will be conducted, using data on family admission characteristics, social service provision, drug abuse treatment, and case outcomes, available from existing reporting systems and instruments completed by service providers. A subsample of 250 mothers and 125 significant male figures will be studied in greater detail, through personal interviews conducted at admission and a 15 month follow-up. Instruments used will be: Addiction Severity Index, Parenting Stress Index, Family Risk Scales, Bates Scales of Infant Temperament, Beck Depression Inventory, and psychological scales of treatment readiness and self-esteem. The process study will be based on staff interviews, observation of program operations, and treatment climate scales (COPES).
| Magura, S; Laudet, A; Kang, S Y et al. (1999) Effectiveness of comprehensive services for crack-dependent mothers with newborns and young children. J Psychoactive Drugs 31:321-38 |
| Laudet, A; Magura, S; Furst, R T et al. (1999) Male partners of substance-abusing women in treatment: an exploratory study. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 25:607-27 |
