Posted: October 4th, 2024

Essay on Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

Essay on Substance Abuse Treatment Programs.

Women who struggle with substance abuse have unique challenges in recovery when compared to men. The differences in their recovery process are often influenced by their family dynamics and social roles. Women tend to be more involved with their families than men who are in recovery and can have strong family relations that fuel their addiction. This can lead to a cycle of addiction that is difficult to break without proper support. It is also problematic when their partner is also an addict. This can create a toxic environment that exacerbates the addiction. Often they come from a dysfunctional family that can be emotionally distant, noncommunicative, and not supportive. This lack of support can make it harder for women to seek help and overcome their addiction. Being pregnant as well as being a new mother can put a woman under intense stress and they may turn to unhealthy habits. This stress can be overwhelming and may lead to a relapse if not managed properly.

A child living in a home with a mother who has an addiction is extremely dangerous. The child’s physical and emotional well-being are at risk due to the mother’s substance abuse. Helping mothers get clean is essential for every child. This is crucial for the child’s development and future success. Babies that are born ‘exposed’ are experiencing neonatal abstinence syndrome. This condition can have long-term effects on the child’s health and development. This will cause the newborn to experience tremors, insomnia, sweating, fevers, seizures, and a high-pitched cry that cannot be consoled by normal means. The severity of the symptoms depends on the severity of drug use during pregnancy. These symptoms usually last only a few weeks. Many of these moms have feelings of guilt and shame for the things they have done to their child. These feelings can be overwhelming and may lead to depression and anxiety.

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) describes children who are born exposed to drugs and experience symptoms of withdrawal shortly after birth. This condition requires immediate medical attention to manage the symptoms and prevent long-term effects. refers to cases in which newborns experience drug withdrawal shortly after birth.

One major need is access to a drug treatment program and for the mothers to be able to take substitute medications such as methadone. This medication can help manage withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings. Methadone will relieve the withdrawal symptoms and they will be prescribed a lesser and lesser dose until they will be drug-free. The goal is to help the mother achieve sobriety and live a healthy lifestyle. The second major need is for them to receive support with medical care for their children as well as baby supplies such as diapers and a crib which are all provided through the program. This support is essential for the mother’s recovery and the child’s well-being.

What kind of services do they receive
LCFS’ Intact Family Recovery is different from other intact programs. We provide a comprehensive approach to recovery that addresses the mother’s physical, emotional, and social needs. We partner with Chicago’s Rincon Family Services to provide support to mothers who are undergoing rehab for substance abuse. This partnership allows us to provide a range of services that support the mother’s recovery and the child’s well-being. A mother is referred to the program after giving birth to a substance-exposed baby or having been reported to abuse or neglect due to substance abuse. to provide support to children and families in which the mother is undergoing rehabilitation for substance abuse. Mothers are usually referred to the program by DCFS after giving birth to a substance-exposed infant or having neglected or abused her children due to her substance abuse.

Our program joins the child welfare with alcohol and other drug abuse treatment in a team effort to provide comprehensive services to families in the recovery process. This approach ensures that the mother receives the support she needs to achieve sobriety and provide a safe and healthy environment for her child. 18 to 24 months We have 3 phases. In phase one, we prepare for treatment, arrange for childcare medical care, school assessment, and additional services. This phase is crucial in setting the foundation for the mother’s recovery and the child’s well-being. In stage two, we support the client during treatment, strengthen parent skills to develop goals and aftercare plans. This stage is essential in helping the mother develop the skills and strategies she needs to maintain sobriety and provide a healthy environment for her child. In the third phase, we focus on maintaining recovery and continue developing skills and goals. This phase is critical in ensuring that the mother has the support she needs to maintain long-term sobriety and provide a stable environment for her child.

Our goals are to Ensuring the safety of the newborn child. We Monitor the baby as well as other minor siblings and advocate for the family with schools doctors and other agencies. This ensures that the child receives the support and services they need to thrive.

Families who are in the intact program receive a variety of services. They have a case manager who monitors them to make sure they are keeping up with the program and assesses needs and connects them to services. This case manager provides ongoing support and guidance throughout the recovery process. They are also connected with inpatient and outpatient drug treatment programs. We provide counseling, refer to in and outpatient drug treatment programs. We provide parental training as well as link clients to additional services such as support groups and food pantries. My favorite service is a thrift store where all items are free for clients. They have clothes, cribs, furniture, and anything you could need.

How does the program work?
A caseworker helps the family create a plan for change. This plan is tailored to the family’s specific needs and goals. Issues such as domestic violence and mental health problems can create a chaotic home for the child if they are not corrected. We provide counseling, substance abuse treatment, parenting classes, as well as help those search for housing who need it.

For the first 45 days, the Intact Family worker makes visits at the home every week to provide services and do drops which are drug tests. This frequent contact ensures that the mother is receiving the support she needs and is making progress in her recovery. The Intact worker works with other service providers to monitor attendance, receive progress reports to ensure the client is maintaining close contact with the service providers to monitor your attendance, obtain progress reports to ensure the client is benefiting and participating in services.

Next, the worker will make unannounced visits to ensure client cooperation and the visits may decrease depending on the assessment of risk for the children. The visits will be no less than twice per month. Once risk is reduced and safety is stable and maintainable the worker will discuss closing the case.

Intervention models utilized
The IFR model provides a variety of interventions. One of the most significant features of the model is a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) which fully disclosed the program and its conditions including the use of graduated sanctions such as protective orders, moderated community services for parents, and the ultimate sanction of future screening for the temporary custody of children. The Recovery Coach Program (RCP) serves families in which children have been removed from the custody of one or both parents because of substance-related maltreatment. The goal of the RCP is to reunify families when the parents can provide a safe and drug-free home for their children. The Illinois proposal is focused on keeping families together and helping parents start and maintain recovery so that they can be safe and effective parents for their children. The model we have proposed pairs a recovery coordinator with an intact family services caseworker and embeds the recovery coordinator in the child welfare provider’s agency. It also lengthens the time an intact family can be involved in services.

Suggestions
I have not found many problems with our current program however, one issue that I believe that is overlooked is assisting women who are pregnant and have a substance abuse problem. We need to provide services specifically targeted for pregnant mothers who want to avoid having an exposed baby. This is a critical area that requires attention and support to prevent the cycle of addiction from continuing. I also believe that this program should be offered as a voluntary program for new mothers who are currently enrolled in other drug treatment programs. We need to connect and communicate with the drug treatment programs that we are utilizing and try and get them to offer the program to any mothers they are serving regardless of the age of their children.

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Tags: Family-Based Interventions, Maternal Substance Abuse, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Substance Abuse Treatment, Women's Recovery