A study issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSAs) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) this month found that drug-and alcohol-dependent women who are pregnant or have children significantly reduce their alcohol or drug use as well as criminal behaviour following residential substance abuse treatment. Treatment also produced improved birth outcomes for pregnant women. The study, 1993-2000 Residential Treatment Programs for Pregnant and Parenting Women, evaluated residential substance abuse treatment programs designed for pregnant women or women with infants or older children. The report examined 50 programs that provided on-site residential care for both parents and their children.
Among women in treatment, use of crack declined from 51 percent before treatment to 27 percent six months after treatment. Similar declines were noted in use of marijuana (from 48 percent before treatment to 15 percent after treatment); powder cocaine (34 percent to 9 percent); methamphetamine (21 percent to 6 percent); heroin (17 percent to 6 percent); and alcohol (65 percent to 25 percent). Over 60 percent of women reported being completely drug-and alcohol- free throughout the first six months following discharge from residential care. An additional 13 percent relapsed at some time after discharge but were completely alcohol-and drug-free in the past 30 days. Women who stayed in treatment longer than three months were more likely to remain alcohol-and drug-free than were those who left within the first three months of treatment (68 percent vs. 48 percent).
The adverse pregnancy rates are not only much lower than those of untreated substance-abusing women, but are also lower than rates reported for all U.S. women. American women have an 11.4 percent premature delivery rate, a 7.5 percent low-birth weight rate and a 0.7 percent infant death rate, according to the report.
Criminal Outcomes
As compared to the 12 months prior to treatment, the percentage of clients arrested for alcohol or drug offenses (selling drugs, public intoxication, driving drunk, etc.) declined from 28 percent to 7 percent during the six months following discharge. A decline from 32 percent to 11 percent was seen in the percentage of clients arrested for non-substance offenses, such as shoplifting, burglary, prostitution or assault. Women who remained in treatment longer than three months were less likely to be arrested than were those who left treatment prior to three months – 9 percent vs. 20 percent.
Relationships And Parenting
The percentage of clients living with an alcohol-or drug-involved spouse or partner declined from 45 percent prior to treatment to 12 percent after, according to the report. The percentage of clients reporting that they and their family use drugs together declined from 26 percent to 4 percent.
Clients who had physical custody of one or more children increased from 54 percent before entering treatment to 75 percent after treatment. Clients who had children living in foster care declined from 28 percent before treatment to 19 percent after treatment.
