title: Randomized multi-site trial of the Job Seekers' Workshop in patients with substance use disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Unemployment is associated with negative outcomes both during and after drug abuse treatment. Interventions designed to increase rates of employment may also improve drug abuse treatment outcomes. The purpose of this multi-site clinical trial was to evaluate the Job Seekers' Workshop (JSW), a three session, manualized program designed to train patients in the skills needed to find and secure a job.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants were recruited through the NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) from six psychosocial counseling (n=327) and five methadone maintenance (n=301) drug treatment programs. Participants were randomly assigned to either standard care (program-specific services plus brochure with local employment resources) (SC) or standard care plus JSW. Three 4-h small group JSW sessions were offered weekly by trained JSW facilitators with ongoing fidelity monitoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  JSW and SC participants had similar 12- and 24-week results for the primary outcome measure (i.e., obtaining a new taxed job or enrollment in a training program). Specifically, one-fifth of participants at 12weeks (20.1-24.3%) and nearly one-third at 24 weeks (31.4-31.9%) had positive outcomes, with "obtaining a new taxed job" accounting for the majority of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  JSW group participants did not have higher rates of employment/training than SC controls. Rates of job acquisition were modest for both groups, suggesting more intensive interventions may be needed. Alternate targets (e.g., enhancing patient motivation, training in job-specific skills) warrant further study as well.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, AWHARE (Addiction & Women's Health: Advancing Research and Evaluation), Virginia Commonwealth University, Old City Hall, Room 350A, 1001 East Broad Street, PO Box 980343, Richmond, VA 23298-0343, USA. dssvikis@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Dace S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Svikis
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Keyser-Marcus
authors.forename: Maxine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stitzer
authors.forename: Traci
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rieckmann
authors.forename: Lauretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Safford
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loeb
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luna-Anderson
authors.forename: Sudie E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Back
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: DeBernardi
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dillard
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forcehimes
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jaffee
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Killeen
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kolodner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pallas
authors.forename: Harold I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Perl
authors.forename: Jennifer Sharpe
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Provost
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reese
authors.forename: Royce R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Sampson
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sepulveda
authors.forename: Ned
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Snead
authors.forename: Conrad J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zweben
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D004493:Education / Q000379:methods*; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000379:methods*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013997:Time Factors; D014478:Unemployment / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult