Veterans residing in self-governed recovery homes for substance abuse: sociodemographic and psychiatric characteristics

A Qualitative Examination of the Experiences of Veterans Treatment Court Graduates in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

U.S. Veterans treatment courts (VTCs) serve justice-involved Veterans with behavioral health and reintegration issues. However, there is paucity of efforts examining VTC participants' experiences and distinguishing the unique operations of VTCs. We summarize a descriptive history of a large VTC program in a major metropolitan area (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and examine the experiences of this VTC's participants. We used content analysis to code VTC graduation proceeding transcripts with complementary content data from resources distributed by the presiding Judge to entering participants. From 2009 through 2016, 118 Veterans were graduated, averaging 9 to 12 months for completion for those with felony or non-felony charges, and blended monitoring with positive reinforcement within a three-stage program. From 62 VTC graduates across eight graduations, testimonies centered on gratitude toward the treatment team, treatment readiness, treatments received, and reintegration. As several theoretical frameworks on behavior change exist, opportunities remain to enhance the delivery of the VTC.

Sober-Living Houses and Changes in the Personal Networks of Individuals in Recovery

Social networks are an important source of support for many people in recovery from alcohol abuse. The present study investigated the role of one particular source of support for recovery in changing the personal networks of people in recovery, sober-living houses. In a randomized, longitudinal design changes in the network size, heterogeneity, and composition of usual aftercare and sober-living home residents were examined. Beneficial changes were found, such as increases in the number of recovering alcoholics and overall network size among sober-living home residents, particularly those who stayed six months or longer. Networks also became more homogeneous with respect to non-drinking among residents. The importance of changes in networks is discussed as well as the need for network-level analyses of personal recovery networks.

Promoting recovery in an evolving policy context: what do we know and what do we need to know about recovery support services?

As both a concept and a movement, "recovery" is increasingly guiding substance use disorder (SUD) services and policy. One sign of this change is the emergence of recovery support services that attempt to help addicted individuals using a comprehensive continuing care model. This paper reviews the policy environment surrounding recovery support services, the needs to which they should respond, and the status of current recovery support models. We conclude that recovery support services (RSS) should be further assessed for effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, that greater efforts must be made to develop the RSS delivery workforce, and that RSS should capitalize on ongoing efforts to create a comprehensive, integrated and patient-centered health care system. As the SUD treatment system undergoes its most important transformation in at least 40years, recovery research and the lived experience of recovery from addiction should be central to reform.