Contact:	Kevin Haggerty, M.S.W. Social Development Research Group 146 North Canal, Suite 211 Seattle, WA 98103 Tel: (206) 685–1997 Fax: (206) 543–4507
Main Purpose:	Reduce parents' risk for relapse, cope with relapse incidents, reduce drug use episodes. Increase family management skills. Reduce child risk factors and increase protective factors; decrease incidence of substance abuse among children.
Target Group:	Addicted parents of children ages 3 through 14
Description:	Most appropriate for parents enrolled in methadone treatment, and who have had at least 90 days of treatment prior to beginning the program. Families participate in a 5-hour family retreat to learn about the curriculum, identify goals, and participate in trust-building activities. This is followed by 32 sessions of 90 minutes each, held twice weekly for 16 weeks. Sessions are held in the mornings for parents, with practice sessions in the evening for parents and children together. Topics covered include family goal setting, relapse prevention, communication skills, management skills, family expectations about substance use, teaching skills to children, and helping kids succeed at school. Sessions and followup home care are provided by master's-level therapists.
Evaluation:	Parent outcomes: The experimental group had higher scores than controls on all skill measures (e.g., problem solving, self-efficacy, social support). The experimental group had fewer deviant peers than the control group. They reported a 65 percent reduction in heroin use frequency compared to controls and were six times less likely to use cocaine in the last month than the control group. Child outcomes showed no significant differences between experimental and control children in drug use or delinquency.

(Source: Strengthening America's Families Project, University of Utah, Model Family Strengthening Program Descriptions)

Parenting IS Prevention Training of Trainers Workshop, 1998	SAMHSA

Office of National Drug Control Policy