Addressing the Social Determinants of Behavioral Change among Parents Participating in Family Drug Court

The social determinants of behavioral change among parents experiencing substance abuse has a profound impact on process and outcome indicators of compliance for family drug court participants. However, family drug courts often lack resources and supportive services to increase parents' chances of alleviating social and structural issues that impede their readiness for change, and ability to take action in pursuing family reunification.

This study describes how an urban-based family drug court program partners with community-based service providers through an initiative known as "Project Ready, Set, Go!" to address the social and structural barriers that impact families struggling with substance abuse. Since 2008, approximately 97 families have received assistance in addressing the social determinants of behavior change, including housing support, employment, and parental skills-building. Supportive services and other life skills building groups among this population has resulted in a 44% drug court graduation rate (compared to a 39% national average), with a third of those individuals continuing to receive aftercare support. Given the low-level of readiness among this sub-population of substance abusing parents, court-ordered compliances coupled with the supportive services has increased these parents' opportunities and willingness to pursue family reunification as an ultimate goal. This project has implications for how to motivate and engage the hardest to reach and retain parents whom use drugs and place their children at risk for abuse and neglect. Further analysis is needed to better understand the gaps in services that limit some parents' ability to comply with family drug court orders.