 | > | Family |
| > | Partners |
| > | Community |
| > | Web Links |
| > | General |
Free To Grow
Mailman School
of Public Health
Columbia University
722 West 168th Street,
8th Floor
New York, NY 10032
Mailman School
of Public Health
Columbia University
722 West 168th Street,
8th Floor
New York, NY 10032
 |
 |
 |
|
Developing women-sensitive drug treatment services: Why so difficult? Beth Glover Reed This article describes the difficulty that women with substance-abuse problems face in trying to obtain appropriate treatment and assesses why little progress has been made in this area. Ten years of research reveals that women with ATOD problems are less likely to be identified and enrolled in treatment than men, and that the treatment they receive is often inappropriate. Based on a study of clients in 26 federally funded drug treatment programs, the author concludes that women receive less attention in programs that also serve men. She asserts that by the time a woman reaches treatment she is often dually addicted - to prescribed as well as recreational drugs - and she shows signs of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. She is usually a caretaker for one or more children. Despite these barriers, however, she is frequently more ready than a man to seek help. Changes in five areas of program planning and operation would increase the effectiveness and sensitivity of drug treatment services for women: (1) altering the agency's basic service mission and its implementation; (2) developing and maintaining a well-organized internal structure with women in positions of power; (3) selecting service methods that accommodate the needs of women; (4) initiating and implementing program changes; and (5) negotiating and mediating between agency and external groups to avoid isolation and to capitalize on opportunities for linkage and collaboration. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 1987, 19(2): 151-154.
|
|
Disclaimer Free To Grow is a national program supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with direction and technical assistance provided by the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University. |