Women with Children in Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

Palladia Inc. is a not-for-profit multi-service agency that specializes in working with individuals and families affected by substance abuse. Recently, New York State developed a new work protocol for drug treatment providers to comply with the Adoption for Safe Families Act legislation. As a result, Palladia wants to comprehend the family situations of the women in their substance abuse treatment programs to determine if there are any treatment implications or required program changes. The Capstone team will develop a comprehensive report summarizing the family backgrounds and circumstances of women with children currently in treatment for substance abuse. The goal of this project is to produce a comprehensive study that Palladia may use to assess whether work practices in their substance abuse programs need to be modified. The team will recommend core questions for extracting data on the clients’ family circumstances and child welfare issues. Palladia will include these questions in its case management software and make them part of its standard intake protocol. Moreover, the Capstone team will recommend a follow-up Capstone project that will expand on this year’s project and focus on expanding data collection, performing more intensive client interviews, and suggesting further intake recommendations.