Factors related to the delivery of interpersonal violence services in outpatient substance misuse treatment programs

ABSTRACT

Social workers along with other practitioners and researchers in the substance misuse treatment field have long recognized the connection between substance use and interpersonal violence. However, fewer than 40% percent of outpatient treatment programs report offering groups or programs specially designed to meet the needs of clients who experienced interpersonal violence. We conducted a secondary analysis of the 2017 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) to explore how demographic, population served, and organizational variables distinguished those programs that offered programs or groups specifically tailored for clients who have experienced interpersonal violence from those programs that did not. In this article, we present findings which revealed that programs that served individuals at substantial risk and programs that provided counseling and trauma and anger management services were more likely to provide specifically designed interpersonal violence programs or groups. Implications for social work practice in the addictions are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• at-risk populations
• interpersonal violence services
• organizational process
• organizational structure
• outpatient programs

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).