Alcohol and Substance Abuse

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Introduction

There has been “no definitive treatment strategy for alcohol-related intervention with homeless individuals” (Orwin, Garrison-Mogren, Jacobs, and Sonnefeld, 1999). Some of the most successful interventions or programs to help homeless individuals with alcohol and substance abuse include the following:

Providing both mental health and substance abuse services
Enabling ease of gaining access to helpful programs and controlling transitions
Ensuring intensive case management
Encouraging recreational programs
Providing shelter and transitional housing at the end of treatment
Retaining homeless persons in treatment programs

Some of the treatment modalities include the following.

Motivational interviewing

This program aims to help alcohol and substance users by moving them from the stages of “pre-contemplation to contemplation, and then to determination, action, and maintenance” (NIAAA, 2005). The idea is to motivate such individuals to change.

Outreach

This is the initial stage of contacting homeless persons. NIAAA notes that this program requires constant contact with homeless persons under care (NIAAA, 2005).

Intensive case management

This program aims to reduce consumption of alcohol and other substances, enhance residential stability of the client, and improve economic or employment status of the homeless individual with alcohol and substance abuse problems.

Transitional and supportive housing

Care providers bring interventions to individuals in transitional or supportive housing.

Stabilization Programs or Therapeutic Communities

This aims at creating a safe and substance-free environment for homeless persons in emergency centers.

Therapeutic community approach relies on other homeless individuals under recovery programs to provide support networks to other members.

Goals

The primary goals of these programs are to help homeless individuals seek and gain access to alcohol and substance abuse interventions for long-term benefits. As a result, the focus has been on the following areas.

Understanding the extent of addiction and concentrate on intervention and treatment programs
Understanding various treatments and interventions available that can reduce alcohol and substance dependency
Understanding care providers, appropriate interventions and treatments for various addicts
Creating substance-free environments by providing shelter, transitional housing, support services, and enhancing employment status
Educating homeless individuals on the danger of alcohol and substance abuse

Outcomes

Outcomes of these programs depend on multiple factors. Outreach program requires constant contact with homeless individuals. A study showed that only three cases were successful from 24 participants (NIAAA, 2005). Survey results show that intensive case management works well when all required services are available. Most homeless individuals also experience challenges when making transitions from shelters to apartments. Therefore, such persons need constant support until they become stable.

Resources

These treatment programs and interventions require considerable amounts of resources. For instance, under outreach program, the care provider must spend a lot of time with clients before a meaningful relationship can develop. Motivational interviewing requires care providers to seek addicts in their locations. Intensive case management needs resources for treating addiction, enhancing residual stability, and employment status of the client. Transitional or supportive housing requires apartments for clients.

An overall goal in improving the homeless population health with Alcohol and substance abuse

To enhance health, housing conditions, and provision of healthcare to homeless individuals with alcohol and substance abuse problems

Specific objectives

To engage in active health promotion within six months in order to reduce cases of risk behaviors among homeless individuals with alcohol and substance abuse issues
To provide transitional housing six homeless individuals with both mental and substance abuse issues upon discharge from treatment or interventions within six months
To provide a continuous and coordinated treatment programs for homeless individuals with both mental and substance abuse problems

References

NIAAA. (2005). Alcohol Use Disorders in Homeless Populations. Web.

Orwin, R. G., Garrison-Mogren, R., Jacobs, M.L., & Sonnefeld, L.J. (1999). Retention of homeless clients in substance abuse treatment: Findings from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Cooperative Agreement Program. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 17, 45-66.

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