A cognitive-behavioral therapeutic community for substance dependent and homeless veterans: treatment outcome

Addict Behav. 1994 Nov-Dec;19(6):621-9. doi: 10.1016/0306-4603(94)90017-5.

Abstract

This paper presents data regarding a residential rehabilitation program that integrates cognitive-behavioral and therapeutic community techniques to treat homelessness and substance abuse. The study cohort was 110 military veterans admitted to a Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The cohort had multiple psychosocial problems at admission, and all had drug/alcohol abstinence as a treatment goal. Structured interviews conducted at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postdischarge revealed that a substantial proportion had positive outcomes with respect to housing, substance abuse abstinence, employment, and self-rated psychological symptoms. This integrated cognitive-behavioral therapeutic community approach appears to be a viable treatment for this subset of homeless and also may be effective for other populations with similar clinical characteristics.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Behavior Therapy*
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Ill-Housed Persons / psychology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / rehabilitation
  • Substance-Related Disorders / therapy*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Veterans*