Characteristics of Substanceabusing Women on Welfare

Abstract

Aim: To describe and compare the characteristics and needs of substance-abusing women on Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) who enroll in a multi-service “welfare to work” program (n = 673) with two other relevant groups: (a) women from the general TANF population in the same locales (n = 157) and (b) a sample of substance-abusing women on TANF who entered standard outpatient substance-abuse treatment programs (n = 520). Design: A field study with repeated measures and intent-to-treat sampling. Intervention: The CASAWORKS for Families (CWF) programwas delivered in 11 sites in 9 states across the country. TheCWFintervention featured integration of substance-abuse treatment and employment-work readiness services, using case management to tailor needed services (parenting, victimization, mental health, physical health, legal, and basic needs). Measurement: The Addiction Severity Index, supplemented with subject-appropriate questions, was used at treatment admission. Findings: The CWF sample exhibited multiple serious problems in the areas of substance abuse, victimization, medical and psychiatric health, and basic needs. The severity of their lifetime problems and their recent service needs were significantly higher in all these areas, except physical health, than were those of the general welfare sample of women in the same locales. Compared with women on TANF from standard addiction-treatment programs, CWF women exhibited similar substanceuse problems but generally more severe co-occurring problems.