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Evaluating The T.E.A.C.H. Program: The Effectiveness of Addiction Treatment Coupled with Higher Education presented at the University of California Irvine by Brendan Bickley & Paul Alexander May 15, 2004 Why Study Addiction Treatment? WAR ON DRUGS = FAILURE “Our drug prohibition policy is hopeless.” Judge James P. Gray “Why Our Drug Policy Failed…” “We are speaking of a plague…a plague for which no cure is at hand, nor in prospect” William F. Buckley Commenting on the War on Drugs Drug Addiction & Alcoholism in the U.S. Alcoholism and Drug Addiction is a medical disease (DSM IV) 25 % of jail inmates committed their offense to get money for drugs (Bureau of Justice) Almost 70% of inmates involved with drugs prior to incarceration(“Drug Use,” 2000). The U.S. Federal Government spent $19 billion dollars in 2003 on the War on drugs; a rate of about $600 dollars per second A medical condition calls for a medical response Treatment Works. 15 years of research establishes this fact. What constitutes effective treatment. What is The T.E.A.C.H. Program? Transitional, Education, Action, Career, Help A Unique Addiction Treatment Modality combining higher education and traditional, 12-step drug and alcohol treatment Founded and implemented in 1998 under the umbrella of Sober Living by the Sea Treatment Centers Inc. Education’s Impact on Addiction Recovery • A positive impact on re-arrest rates and criminal behavior (Frease, 1973; Garrett & Larson, 1996; Hirschi,1978; Johnson, 1979). • Sentencing of first-time, non-violent drug offenders to classes related to addiction is a common practice (Wilson, 1998; Wapner, 1996). • Empower patients, ease their defenses, and reduce the stigma they experience (Finnell, 2000). • Personal accomplishment, a sense of participating in a socially valued endeavor, the anticipation of legitimate employment (Walsh, 1985). Addiction Counselor Training and Education 1. Department of Psychology at the University of Arizona Study (Kahn & Stephen, 1981). 2. Australian State of Queensland Study (Kahn & Fau, 1981). 3. Southern California Community College System Study (Wilson 1998). Previous Research on the Effects of Education + Treatment Education Treatment Success Previous Studies show this rehabilitative model is highly successful. Articles About the TEACH Program Research Site: Sober Living by the Sea’s T.E.A.C.H Program TEACH is unique in its approach to transitional treatment. The effort to re-integrate the addicted individual back into society by enrolling them at a local community college is an unprecedented approach. Proximity to researchers Sober Living By The Sea Houses Addiction Treatment Facility Newport Beach, CA 90 Days of Traditional Residential Treatment Traditional Treatment Defined: •Group Process •Recovery Meetings (AA, NA, etc.) •1-on-1 Therapy or Case Management 90 Day -3 Phase Process Phase I Phase II Phase III Clients can enter TEACH At any point in the 3 Phase Process of their treatment. •Structured Living Environment •Random Urinalysis Testing Figure 1. Sober Living By The Sea Structure + The T.E.A.C.H. College Program Combines all the treatment from the traditional 3 Phase process, but adds classes at a community college. Hypotheses H1 Enrolling clients in college classes (Human Services Classes) while receiving addiction treatment at a primary drug and alcohol treatment facility increases the likelihood of continuous abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Hypotheses (cont.) H2 Clients involved in the T.E.A.C.H. Program will score higher on the following measures of overall success at the time of discharge: completion of steps, completion of treatment goals, remaining abstinent in treatment, and clinician’s estimation of success. Hypotheses (cont.) H3 Commitment to Recovery – Clients in the T.E.A.C.H. Program are more likely to remain active in recovery six months after discharge. Methodology • Random Sample of 150 cases selected from a pool of approximately 1000 cases. • 75 SLBTS + 75 T.E.A.C.H. • Archival data directly coded from past participants case files. • Six month post-treatment phone survey. Data • Addiction Severity Index • MMPI-II (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory- 2) • Progress/Success Instrument • Taken from clinician’s discharge summary. • Post Treatment Measures • Survey administered Six Months after discharge. Sample Characteristics Gender Age Length of Stay Prior Treatments Main Drug First Use Alcohol First Use Drugs Job Tenure Need for Treat. SLBTS Group TEACH Group 66% male 34% female 29.5 56% male 44% female 21.92 3.96 Months 2.90 Heroin/Cocaine 6.49 Months 2.21 Alcohol/Heroin 13.2 15.09 13.9 15.62 61.65 Months 6.75 16.13 Months 6.5 Results Variables SLBTS TEACH H1 Continuous Sobriety 1.21 1.56 ***p<.001 H2 Completed Program 1.12 1.25 n.s. H2 # Steps Completed 7.63 8.23 n.s. H2 Number of relapses .65 .52 n.s. H2 Completed Treatment Goals 1.28 1.23 n.s. H2 Clinicians Estimation Success H3 Employed at Discharge 2.31 2.79 ***p<.001 1.79 1.88 n.s. H3 Recovery Meetings 1.21 1.20 n.s. General Finding Participants in The TEACH Program were significantly more likely to have a higher estimation of success at the time of discharge and maintain continuous abstinence from drugs and alcohol six months post – release. In Perspective: Relatively small sample size Difficult to eliminate variables that might influence outcome measures. Ethnicity and SES were relatively uniform, whereas age between the groups differed significantly. Self report validity. Acknowledgements • Dr. Valerie Jenness, UCI Honors Seminar Instructor • Dr. George Tita, UCI Faculty Mentor • Dr. Dick Wilson, Saddleback College Research Assistants: Nicole Riedman, Saddleback College Missy Tenzer, Saddleback College Heather Volcom, Cal State Fullerton Funding Sources: Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) For more information contact us at: Paul Alexander & Brendan Bickley Dept. of Criminology, Law and Society Department of Social Ecology University of California, Irvine [email protected] [email protected]