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Topic: Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult)

Scientific Ratings in this topic:
1 - Well-Supported by Research Evidence
2 - Supported by Research Evidence
3 - Promising Research Evidence
4 - Evidence Fails to Demonstrate Effect
5 - Concerning Practice
NR - Not able to be Rated
Learn more about the scale

Definition for Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult):

Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult) is defined as the treatment of adults with a diagnosed substance use disorder, or substance use problems, addiction, dependence, or abuse. Treatment can occur in a variety of settings, including outpatient, day treatment, residential, or inpatient, and may involve detoxification, counseling, education, relapse prevention training, life skills training, and self-help groups. National data shows that approximately 8% of the population has used an illicit drug in the past month, while 23% reported binge drinking and 7% reported heavy drinking in the past month. One of the primary signs of substance abuse is the continued use of drugs or alcohol despite experiencing the serious negative consequences of heavy drug or alcohol use, such as being fired from a job or arrested. Substance use appears to be even more common among families involved in child welfare, with a recent round of Children and Family Service Reviews showing that 16% to 48% of all child welfare cases include substance use disorders. Substance use programs may be going unrecognized by child welfare, as according to the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW), 71% of caregivers who are alcohol dependent are classified by the child welfare workers as not having alcohol problems and 73% of caregivers who are drug dependent are classified by child welfare workers as not having a drug problem. The Pharmocological Treatment for Substance Abuse page has links to reputable organizations that list information on these medications.

Why was Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult) chosen as a topic by the Advisory Committee? (Click for Answer)

Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult) was chosen by the Advisory Committee because the number of children prenatally exposed to substances is estimated at 10% to 11% of all newborns each year. Only 5% of these newborns are placed in out-of-home care, the rest may go home without assessment and/or services. The increasing use of meth/amphetamine has created another severe problem for children. In the last four years, according to the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW), 2,881 children have been placed in protective custody as a result of parents who are operating meth labs and over 1,200,000 children were present when a meth lab was discovered by authorities.

The most significant risks to children of substance abusers include poorer developmental outcomes, depression, anxiety, and a high risk of substance abuse themselves. Research has shown that these children exhibit physical health consequences; lack of secure attachment; language delays; behavioral problems; poor social relations and skills; deficits in motor skills and cognition; and learning disabilities.

The parents of these children need adequate identification by child welfare workers and these children themselves need in depth assessments and interventions. Only by discovering evidenced-based best practices can we begin to stop the destructive results of substance abusing parents and stop the cycle of addiction for the children of these parents.

Debby Jeter
Deputy Director
Family and Children's Division
San Francisco Human Services Agency

Programs in this topic area

Here are your search results for programs in the area of Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult):

The programs listed below have been reviewed by the CEBC and, if appropriate, been rated using the Scientific Rating Scale.

Programs with a Scientific Rating of 1 - Well-Supported by Research Evidence:

Programs with a Scientific Rating of 2 - Supported by Research Evidence:

Programs with a Scientific Rating of 3 - Promising Research Evidence:

Programs with a Scientific Rating of NR - Not able to be Rated: