Project Link
About This Program
The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. Project Link has been rated by the CEBC in the area of: Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult).
Brief Description
Project Link provides substance abuse and mental health treatment for pregnant and parenting women. It is also integrated with maternal-child health at Women & Infants Hospital. It was originally funded in October, 1991, by the Federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) as a 5-year demonstration grant for pregnant and postpartum women with substance abuse problems.
Goals of Project Link:
Please check in the Brief Description section above for the program's goals. If they are not there, the program's representative has not provided these since we began requesting them in Fall 2010.
Target Population: Pregnant and parenting women of childbearing age.
For parents/caregivers of children ages: 0 – 0
Essential Components
- Individual Therapy (minimum 1 hour/wk)
- Group therapy (1-1.5hrs each)
- Intensive Case Management (minimum 1 hour /wk)
- Home visits when necessary
- Assistance with food, clothing, housing, etc.
- TB/HIV/STD/Hepatitis Education
- Psychiatric Consultation (as needed)
- Medication management (as needed)
- Introduction to 12-Steps (2 hr/wk)
- Childcare
- Transportation
- Random, supervised urine drug screens and breathalyzer testing (as medically needed)
Child/Adolescent Component
Project Link was not designed with a child component.
Parent/Caregiver Component
Project Link was designed with a parent/caregiver component that addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms for parents/caregivers of children ages 0 – 0:
- Substance abuse and pregnant or parent of infant.
Group Format
Project Link was designed to be conducted in a group setting; but has not been tested for use in a group setting.
Recommended group size:
No more than 10 members.
Recommended Parameters
Recommended Intensity:
Usually one-hour weekly individual sessions and one to one-and-a-half hour weekly group sessions.
Recommended Duration:
Average 3 months to a year.
Delivery Setting
This program is typically conducted in a(n):
- Outpatient Clinic
Homework
Project Link includes a homework component:
Journaling.
Languages
Project Link has materials available in a language other than English:
Spanish
For information on which materials are available in this language, please check on the program's website or contact the program representative (contact information is listed at the bottom of this page).
Resources Needed to Run Program
The typical resources for implementing the program are:
A central office, individual clinical offices, a group room, and a childcare room.
Minimum Provider Qualifications
- Clinicians require Master's level and Independent licensure (LICSW, LCMHC, LMFT) and State licensure in Chemical Dependency, with at least 5 years postgraduate experience.
- Clinical Supervisor, at least what is above and a 32 -hour approved training for Clinical Supervision in Chemical Dependency.
Education and Training Resources
There is a manual that describes how to implement this program, and there is training available for this program.
Training Contacts:
- Eileen Dykeman, LCMHC,LCDPII, CCJP, Clinical Program Manager
phone: (401) 453-7618 or (401) 453-7692 - Alda Medeiros, BS, Associate Division Manager
phone: (401) 453-7618 or (401) 453-7692 - Dorinda Montague, BA, Case Management Coordinator
phone: (401) 453-7618 or (401) 453-7692
Training is obtained:
Consultation by telephone.
Number of days/hours:
Varies.
Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research
This program is rated a "3 - Promising Research Evidence" on the Scientific Rating Scale based on the published, peer-reviewed research available. The practice must have at least one study utilizing some form of control (e.g., untreated group, placebo group, matched wait list study) establishing the practice's benefit over the placebo, or found it to be comparable to or better than an appropriate comparison practice. Please see the Scientific Rating Scale for more information.
Child Welfare Outcome: Child/Family Well-Being
Sweeney, P. J., Schwartz, R. M., Mattis, N., & Vohr, B. (2000). The effect of integrating substance abuse treatment with prenatal care on birth outcome. Journal of Perinatology, 4, 219-224.
Type of Study: Non-equivalent control group.
Number of Participants: 87 treatment, 87 comparison.
Population:
- Age range — Mean age approximately 27 years.
- Race/Ethnicity — Pregnant: 54% White and 33% African American. Postpartum, 51% White and 39% African American.
- Gender — Not Specified
- Status — Women receiving prenatal care at Women and Infants Hospital.
Location / Institution: Providence, RI
Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations)
The study design compared women who enrolled in the Project Link
program during pregnancy with those who enrolled postpartum. Mothers
who enrolled prenatally had infants with significantly higher birth
weights than those enrolling post-partum, and their infants had higher
Apgar scores. (The Apgar score is determined by evaluating a newborn
baby on five simple criteria: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity,
Respiration) at 1 and 5 minutes. They were also less likely to require
admission to the NICU. Postpartum enrollees were more likely to have
infants that obtained a positive toxicology screen. The authors note
that self-report screening for substance abuse history may introduce a
source of bias.
Length of post-intervention follow-up: None.
References
No reference materials are currently available for Project Link.
Contact Information
- Name: Lynn Hess
- Agency/Affiliation: Women and Infants Hospital
- Website: www.womenandinfants.org
- Email: lhess@wihri.org
- Phone: (401) 453-7618
- Fax: (401) 453-7692
Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed by CEBC: June 2011
Date Program Originally Loaded onto CEBC: June 2009
Date Program Content Last Reviewed by Program Staff: June 2009