All female treatment more effective according to SAMHSA
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, says that a new substance abuse treatment model for females, developed by Northeastern’s Institute on Urban Health Research in collaboration with the Boston Public Health Commission, shows superior outcomes when compared to standard addiction treatment methods.
What makes the BCM approach unique, according to Institute on Urban Health Research director Hortensia Amaro, is that it links several critical factors in the patients’ experience.
“Women with drug addiction disorders have high rates of mental illness and a history of childhood and adult physical and sexual abuse, which are often both precursors to and consequences of drug abuse,” said Amaro, an associate dean and professor in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences who led the research and program development.
The BCM takes a multi-pronged approach, including pharmacological and behavioral treatment for addiction, mental illness, and trauma. Additionally, workshops in leadership, economic planning, family reunification, and parenting allowed participants to build the skills necessary for a successful recovery.
Females who participated in the integrated BCM program showed superior long-term benefits when compared to those who underwent traditional substance abuse treatment. Participants reported fewer mental health and post-traumatic stress symptoms, fewer HIV risk behaviors, and more power in decision making with their partners at both the six- and 12-month marks after completing the program. In addition, BCM intervention patients had higher drug abstinence rates.
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