Treatment Needs and Services for Mothers With a Dual Diagnosis: Substance Abuse and Mental Illness (From Clinical Treatment of the Criminal Offender in Outpatient Mental Health Settings: New and Emerging Perspectives, P 65-84, 1990, Nathaniel J Pallone and Sol Chaneles, eds. -- See NCJ-126044)

• NCJ Number: 126049
• Author(s): S K Morris; S P Schinke
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 20 pages
• Sale Source: Haworth Press, Inc
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper reviews the treatment needs of dual diagnosed, substance abusing and mentally ill mothers and suggests treatment strategies and programmatic options for serving the needs of these mothers and their children.

Abstract

Substance abusing, mentally ill mothers have a multitude of medical, emotional, interpersonal, legal, educational, and vocational needs that impact their families. Because of these needs, such mothers are at risk for abusing and neglecting their children. In spite of their difficulties, however, these mothers are concerned about their parenting responsibilities, and this concern can provide incentive for them to seek and benefit from treatment. Virtually no existing programs simultaneously address substance abuse problems, mental illness, and child management issues among mothers. Those charged with the development of programs and services for such dually impaired mothers can adapt treatment strategies from related areas of mental health and substance abuse treatment. Promising treatment strategies could include social support services that enable women to help each other with daily-living tasks, alcohol-abuse and stress-management treatment strategies, and skills intervention that promotes healthful life management. Other topics discussed in this paper are program planning for innovative services and research strategies. 41 references