Staff Perspectives on Treatment Efficacy in a Felony Drug Court

• In Event: Drugs, Victimization, and Public Policy

Abstract

Medically-Assisted therapies, along with cognitive-based therapies (CBT) have emerged as the predominant treatment approaches for mental health and substance abuse issues. While most drug court defendants receive CBT or MET in group or individual sessions, there are some clients that receive medically-assisted therapies. Medications such as naloxone, naltrexone, buprenorphine, and methadone are frequently used to address more acute alcohol and substance abuse issues. Numerous studies have focused on the clinical outcomes of clients receiving both forms of treatments. While this research has yielded promising results, there is little research exploring these treatments from a qualitative perspective. Specifically, this study explores perceptions of drug court staff and treatment providers to determine organizational and process-related factors that impact treatment efficacy. Findings suggest that medically-assisted therapies are essential to the drug court model, but some barriers to treatment do exist. Qualitative results regarding the use of CBT/MAT treatment modalities are discussed in the context of one Felony Drug Court program, its goals, and population.

Author

• Durant Frantzen, Texas A&M University, San Antonio