Social Support Networks and Homeless Mothers


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

3010.0: Monday, December 12, 2005 - 8:50 AM

Abstract #108087

Jaime Marra, MA¹, Elissa McCarthy, MA², Hsiu-Ju Lin, PhD², and Linda Frisman, PhD³. (1) Dept of Mental Health and Addiction Services, University of Connecticut, 410 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT 06134, 860-462-3318, jaime.marra@uconn.edu, (2) Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, 410 Capitol Avenue, MS # 14 RSD, Hartford, CT 06106, (3) Connecticut Dept. Of Mental Health and Addiction Services, 410 Capitol Avenue, PO Box 341431, MS #14 RSD, Hartford, CT 06134

Research shows that having social networks increases the likelihood of positive outcomes in substance abuse and mental health treatment. This presentation will examine the role of increasing social support in homeless mothers using data from a national initiative designed to study the processes and outcomes of interventions for homeless families. In this particular initiative, the CMHS/CSAT Homeless Families Program, the focus is on female-headed households in which the mother is currently experiencing a mental health, trauma, and/or substance abuse disorder. The State of Connecticut, one of eight sites around the country participating in the study, examined the outcomes of intensive case management on 191 homeless mothers with addictive disorders. Particular outcomes examined in this presentation will include how increasing social networks over time influences mothers' mental health, physical health, legal issues, substance abuse, housing situations, and service utilization. Social support data will be dichotomized into high, medium, and low levels of positive social support, which will include family, friends, and treatment staff and their provisions of emotional, financial, and transportation support. Preliminary results indicate that social support is associated with improved outcomes for some, but not all domains for homeless mothers with addictive disorders.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to

1. Describe different sources of social support and how increasing social support systems can impact the lives of homeless women and their children.
2. Identify possible outcomes that may be influenced by increasing social support networks

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Concerns of Homeless Families and Children

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA