scholarly journals Community-Engaged Research (CER) as the Avenue to Promoting Well-being and Recovery in Drug Court

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Robert Gallagher ◽  
Anne Nordberg ◽  
Raychel Minasian ◽  
Sydney Szymanowski ◽  
Jesse Carlton ◽  
...  

Drug courts are an alternative to incarceration for individuals who have substance use disorders and have been arrested for drug-related crimes (e.g. possession of a controlled substance). The first drug court began in 1989 in Florida and it is estimated that there are over 3,000 drug courts now operating throughout the United States.  This community-engaged research (CER) evaluated the St. Joseph County (Indiana) drug court by identifying who was most likely to graduate, who was most likely to recidivate, and whether drug court or probation was more effective at reducing criminal recidivism.  Furthermore, although drug courts are found in many communities, research rarely describes the process used to develop and implement CER.  Therefore, this article also highlights the collaborative process used in this drug court evaluation.   The findings from this study suggest that the St. Joseph County (Indiana) drug court is an effective program at reducing criminal recidivism and a valuable resource for individuals who have substance use disorders, the community, and other stakeholders. Drug court participants were less likely to recidivate than probationers, and a lower recidivism rate clearly equates to many benefits to the community.  The article concludes with community-based implications, such as starting recovery support groups that are welcoming to individuals who receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT), marketing drug court to racial and ethnic minorities to increase their representation in drug court, and disseminating research findings throughout the community via local news stories and public lectures.

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 468-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Robert Gallagher ◽  
Anne Nordberg ◽  
Elyse Lefebvre

For nearly three decades, drug courts have provided a rehabilitative approach within the criminal justice system for individuals who have a substance use disorder. The goal of drug courts is to reduce criminal recidivism, and research has consistently suggested that participants that graduate drug court are less likely to recidivate than those who are terminated from the program. This qualitative study adds to the literature by asking drug court participants ( N = 42) their views on the most helpful aspects of the program that support them in graduating and how the program could be more helpful to support them in graduating. Two themes emerged from the data: (1) participants felt that interventions that are common to drug courts, such as drug testing and having frequent contact with the judge, were most helpful in supporting them in graduating the program; (2) participants felt that the agencies that offered treatment for their substance use disorders used punitive tactics and judgmental approaches that compromised the quality of treatment they received, and they felt that this was a barrier to them graduating the program. The findings are discussed in reference to drug court practice.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda S. Beeber

BACKGROUND: Promising treatment avenues have been developed and studied that align well with the skills of psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nurses. The treatments are relationship-driven, nimble and accessible, and recovery-guided. They emphasize a whole-person approach with care delivered by a team of experts working in a contextually coordinated way. AIMS: To describe the challenges facing the United States with regard to mental illness and substance use disorders and the ways in which PMH nurses can use their skills to mitigate these challenges. METHOD: Published research and government reports were reviewed to obtain current mental health and substance use data. RESULTS: The number of people not being treated for mental illnesses—particularly serious mental illness, major depressive episode, and suicidal thoughts—has not improved since 2009. Although inroads have been made in reducing the rate of smoking in the United States, we are facing an opioid crisis. There are limited data on marijuana use, but it is apparent that many Americans use cannabis routinely. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, approximately 44.7 million people need mental health treatment and 20.1 million Americans need substance use treatment, but only 10% to 30% receive it. CONCLUSIONS: PMH nurses must take a leading role in retooling the therapeutic relationship and partnering with clients, families, and caregivers to improve the quality of life and well-being of those dealing with mental illness and substance use disorders. To accomplish this essential task, the PMH nursing workforce must be robust and distributed throughout the United States.


2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 1068-1078
Author(s):  
Kate Guastaferro ◽  
Wendy P. Guastaferro ◽  
Jessica Rogers Brown ◽  
David Holleran ◽  
Daniel J. Whitaker

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sidsel Karsberg ◽  
Morten Hesse ◽  
Michael Mulbjerg Pedersen ◽  
Ruby Charak ◽  
Mads Uffe Pedersen

Abstract Background It is believed that clients with psychological trauma experiences have a poor prognosis with regard to treatment participation and outcomes for substance use disorders. However, knowledge on the effect of the number of trauma experiences is scarce. Methods Using data from drug use disorder (DUD) treatment in Denmark, we assessed the impact of having experienced multiple potentially traumatic experiences on DUD treatment efficacy. Baseline and follow-up data from 775 young participants (mean age = 20.2 years, standard deviation = 2.6) recruited at nine treatment centers were included in analyses. Results Analyses showed that participants who were exposed multiple trauma experiences also reported a significantly higher intake of cannabis at treatment entry, and a lower well-being score than participants who reported less types or no types of victimization experiences. During treatment, patients with multiple types of trauma experiences showed a slower rate of reduction of cannabis than patients with few or no trauma experiences. The number of trauma types was not associated with number of sessions attended or the development of well-being in treatment. Conclusion Overall, the results show that although traumatized youth in DUD treatment show up for treatment, helping them to reduce substance use during treatment is uniquely challenging. Trial registration ISRCTN88025085, date of registration: 29.08.2016, retrospectively registered.


Author(s):  
Hans Oh ◽  
Ai Koyanagi ◽  
Jordan DeVylder ◽  
Andrew Stickley

Seasonal allergies have been associated with mental health problems, though the evidence is still emergent, particularly in the United States. We analyzed data from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication and the National Latino and Asian American Survey (years 2001–2003). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the relations between lifetime allergies and lifetime psychiatric disorders (each disorder in a separate model), adjusting for socio-demographic variables (including region of residence) and tobacco use. Analyses were also stratified to test for effect modification by race and sex. A history of seasonal allergies was associated with greater odds of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders, but not alcohol or substance use disorders, after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and tobacco use. The associations between seasonal allergies and mood disorders, substance use disorders, and alcohol use disorders were particularly strong for Latino Americans. The association between seasonal allergies and eating disorders was stronger for men than women. Seasonal allergies are a risk factor for psychiatric disorders. Individuals complaining of seasonal allergies should be screened for early signs of mental health problems and referred to specialized services accordingly.


Author(s):  
Olayemi A. Akinola ◽  
Euchay Ngozi Horsman ◽  
Lisa Dunkley

Abstract Youth with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders are at higher risk for vocational rehabilitation exclusion. This study aimed to (a) explore the personal factors associated with vocational outcomes of youth with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders and (b) highlight services that have shown the greatest promise for this population in the state-federal rehabilitation program in the United States. Our analytic sample was extracted from the Rehabilitation Services Administration’s Case Service Report data set for 2013, 2014, and 2015 fiscal years. Multiple regression analyses results identified personal factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, level of education, and severity of disability as predictors of the achievement of competitive employment, hours worked, and income. The receipt of vocational rehabilitation services such as job search support, job placement assistance, vocational training, and on-the-job support are significantly associated with the achievement of competitive employment, higher work hours, and income. These finding have implications for vocational rehabilitation practice as they highlight who is at higher risk for poor outcomes, effective services, and additional factors to consider when working with youth with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander W Thompson ◽  
Timothy Ando ◽  
Emily Morse

Substance use disorders are a major source of morbidity and mortality, contributing to a significant proportion of deaths in the United States and worldwide each year. A substantial rise in deaths related to drug overdoses in recent decades has drawn increasing public attention to this issue. However, the majority of individuals struggling with substance use disorders remain untreated. The financial costs and health burden are substantial. This review provides a broad overview of substance-related and addictive disorders. The evolution of the classification system is described, and the diagnostic criteria for the various substance use disorders are reviewed. Epidemiology and etiologic considerations, including neurobiological pathways, genetics, environmental influences, and dimensional risk factors, are examined. Finally, individual substances and their related disorders are reviewed, including alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, hallucinogens, inhalants, opioids, sedative/hypnotics, stimulants, tobacco, and other or unknown substances. Intoxication and withdrawal syndromes are described where applicable, and clinical management concepts are discussed.  This review contains 6 figures, 5 tables, and 71 references. Key words: abuse, addiction, alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, dependence, diagnosis, DSM-5, epidemiology, hallucinogen, hypnotic, inhalant, intoxication, methamphetamine, nicotine, opioid, sedative, stimulant, substance use disorders, tobacco, tolerance, withdrawal


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander W Thompson ◽  
Timothy Ando ◽  
Emily Morse

Substance use disorders are a major source of morbidity and mortality, contributing to a significant proportion of deaths in the United States and worldwide each year. A substantial rise in deaths related to drug overdoses in recent decades has drawn increasing public attention to this issue. However, the majority of individuals struggling with substance use disorders remain untreated. The financial costs and health burden are substantial. This review provides a broad overview of substance-related and addictive disorders. The evolution of the classification system is described, and the diagnostic criteria for the various substance use disorders are reviewed. Epidemiology and etiologic considerations, including neurobiological pathways, genetics, environmental influences, and dimensional risk factors, are examined. Finally, individual substances and their related disorders are reviewed, including alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, hallucinogens, inhalants, opioids, sedative/hypnotics, stimulants, tobacco, and other or unknown substances. Intoxication and withdrawal syndromes are described where applicable, and clinical management concepts are discussed.  This review contains 6 figures, 5 tables, and 71 references. Key words: abuse, addiction, alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, dependence, diagnosis, DSM-5, epidemiology, hallucinogen, hypnotic, inhalant, intoxication, methamphetamine, nicotine, opioid, sedative, stimulant, substance use disorders, tobacco, tolerance, withdrawal


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