A therapeutic workplace for the long-term treatment of drug addiction and unemployment: Eight-year outcomes of a social business intervention

Will M. Aklin, Conrad J. Wong, Jacqueline Hampton, Dace S. Svikis, Maxine L. Stitzer, George E. Bigelow, Kenneth Silverman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study evaluated the long-term effects of a therapeutic workplace social business on drug abstinence and employment. Pregnant and postpartum women (N = 40) enrolled in methadone treatment were randomly assigned to a therapeutic workplace or usual care control group. Therapeutic workplace participants could work weekdays in training and then as employees of a social business, but were required to provide drug-free urine samples to work and maintain maximum pay. Three-year outcomes were reported previously. This paper reports 4- to 8-year outcomes. During year 4 when the business was open, therapeutic workplace participants provided significantly more cocaine- and opiate-negative urine samples than controls; reported more days employed, higher employment income, and less money spent on drugs. During the 3. years after the business closed, therapeutic workplace participants only reported higher income than controls. A therapeutic workplace social business can maintain long-term abstinence and employment, but additional intervention may be required to sustain effects.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)329-338
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume47
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 2014

Keywords

  • Cocaine
  • Contingency management
  • Employment
  • Heroin
  • Incentive
  • Methadone
  • Social business

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Phychiatric Mental Health
  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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