Potential barriers to work for substance-abusing women on welfare. Findings from the CASAWORKS for Families pilot demonstration.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence and relationship to later employment of potential barriers to work for substance-abusing women on Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) enrolled in a multiservice welfare-to-work program.


METHODS
A field study with repeated measures and intent-to-treat sampling.


METHODS
The CASAWORKS for Families (CWF) was delivered in 11 sites in nine states across the nation and featured integration of substance-abuse treatment and employment and work readiness services.


METHODS
The Addiction Severity Index, supplemented with subject-appropriate questions.


METHODS
A total of 366 CWF women who completed interviews at program enrollment, and at 6 and 12 months later.


RESULTS
Substance-abusing women on TANF in the CWF program exhibited multiple potential barriers to work at enrollment, averaging 6 out of 14 potential barriers assessed. They reported significantly more obstacles than a general welfare sample of women from the same locales. Few single barriers were significantly related to employment at 12 months. However, the total number of potential barriers to work experienced, particularly at 6 months, was related to employment at 12 months.
Gutman
Marjorie A
MA
Treatment Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, USA.
McKay
James
J
Ketterlinus
Robert D
RD
McLellan
A Thomas
AT
D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012946:Social Welfare; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*