NCJ Number
194244
Date Published
2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes a collaborative effort in Hennepin County (Minnesota) that involves helping mothers on probation with substance abuse problems.
Abstract
The Rebound program is guided by a team of professionals: a probation officer, a social worker, and a family worker. This team works with each woman who is accepted into the program, as it coordinates the probation order, the child protection case plan (where applicable), and the woman's own goals for both herself and her family. Each woman is visited in her home every week. She also comes to the office monthly to meet with the team to review her goals and progress. She is expected to attend weekly parenting classes and a monthly women's support group, and she may be involved in other treatment programs or therapy. She often works with the child protection agency. A woman who is successful in the program will be maintaining sobriety, gaining skills in parenting and basic living, accessing resources in the community, successfully completing probation, and enjoying the return of her children into the home and/or maintaining custody of her children. This article discusses the importance of teamwork for program success, some obstacles to overcome, and keys to effective teamwork.