Therapeutic communities: Substance abuse treatment for women

The following major points can be summarized from this chapter: 1. Women and men have different characteristics and treatment needs; therefore, programs must be responsive to the specialized needs of women. 2. It appears that the presence of women in the TC environment as staff role models and program participants enhances treatment outcomes for both men and women, as evidenced by the LOS statistics and behaviors described previously. 3.Preliminary data from surveyed programs that provide services to mothers and children show positive effects for recovery (alcohol and drug use, parenting skills). 4. Conclusive data on women's and children's programs have not yet been generated, since many of these programs have been established within the last few years.