Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2018
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
http://doi.org/10.33582/2637-4528/1007
Abstract
Prescription drug abuse represents a national public health concern. This study reports on 12-month outcomes of a drug court treatment program for 102 female offenders addicted to prescription drugs. The program utilized two evidence-based treatment models (i.e., Motivational Enhancement Therapy/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-12 and Seeking Safety). In addition, participants were required to attend monthly judicial reviews, weekly AA/NA groups, and two random drug screens per week. Participants were interviewed at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Analyses examined self-reported substance use, traumatic experiences, criminal justice involvement, readiness to change, and therapeutic alliance. Participants reported significant decreases in substance use, increased readiness to change, high therapeutic alliance, and significantly fewer arrest charges 12-months after enrollment compared to 12-months before intake. Results suggest that the drug court program was successful in reducing substance use and other ancillary measures for female participants with prescription drug abuse issues. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.
Rights Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Journal of Addiction and Recovery, v. 2, art. 1007
Scholar Commons Citation
Moore, Kathleen A. and Young, M. Scott, "WeCan! A 12-Month Evaluation of a Drug Court Treatment Program Serving Females Addicted to Prescription Drugs" (2018). Mental Health Law & Policy Faculty Publications. 908.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/mhlp_facpub/908
