Treatment of the Chemically Dependent Homeless: Theory and Implementation in Fourteen American Projects

by Kendon J. Conrad

Develop new programs or improve existing programs with these helpful descriptions of theoretical foundations and practical implementation of innovative projects. Treatment of the Chemically Dependent Homeless presents fourteen projects, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in cooperation with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), that were designed to develop strategies to combat the dual problems of homelessness and substance abuse, and then analyze program effectiveness. Contributors describe projects occurring in a variety of major cities and focus on the theory behind each program and its practical implementation. Treatment professionals seeking new directions for their own programs will benefit from chapters that compare conventional services with new innovative treatments. They also demonstrate how the new programs will effectively meet the needs of the target population and fill the gaps where current services fail. Treatment of the Chemically Dependent Homeless presents detailed discussions of each program's theoretical foundation, design, and implementation that will be invaluable to clinicians and researchers needing information about the complex nature of various experimental interventions. The book begins by presenting an overview of the background and rules of the NIAAA Cooperative agreement. The subsequent chapters follow a logical sequence by concentrating on one or two of the following aspects of program development:
theory of treatment
local political and social milieus
special populations
outreach strategies
relapse and retention issues
residential care programs
case management
transition to independenceDoctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, substance abuse counselors, and researchers who treat or study the chemically dependent homeless will value this groundbreaking information for studying, developing, and improving their own treatment programs. Teachers who seek to educate their classes regarding state-of-the-art service provision for homeless substance abusers will also find this an essential resource for innovative ideas and practical examples of program implementation.

249 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 1993