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Project Link

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

The Project Link program integrates substance abuse treatment services into the existing maternal-child health system at Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island. The program targets pregnant and postpartum women with substance abuse problems. Project Link uses clinical and case management services to addresses risk and protective factors in multiple domains. Clinical services include substance abuse assessment, crisis intervention, comprehensive psychosocial assessment, individual therapy, group therapy, child and family therapy, toxicology screening, and referral to ancillary services. Case management services include home visiting, parenting assessment, parenting education, monitoring of pediatric visits, HIV education, and GED/literacy tutoring.

Goal / Mission

The goal of this program is to improve health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women with substance abuse problems and their infants.

Impact

Improvement in birth weight and gestational age, and reduction in admittance to neonatal intensive care unit and positive infant toxicology screens.

Results / Accomplishments

An evaluation of program compared participants to a control group that received the same prenatal care, but did not receive substance abuse treatment until after childbirth. The program succeeded in improving the birth outcomes of infants born to women who enrolled prenatally. These infants were 418 grams heavier on average (p < 0.001), and their gestational age was 2 weeks longer than infants whose mothers enrolled postpartum (p < 0.001). In addition, they were roughly one third as likely to be born with a low birth-weight (p < 0.01), and about half as likely to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Finally, the postpartum enrollees were more likely to have infants whose toxicology screens were positive.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
The Providence Center
Primary Contact
Adult Intensive Outpatient Services
134 Thurbers Avenue
Suite 212
Providence, RI 02905
401-453-7618
info@provctr.org
https://providencecenter.org/
Topics
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health
Health / Women's Health
Organization(s)
The Providence Center
Source
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Model Programs Guide (MPG)
Date of publication
2000
Date of implementation
1993
Location
Providence, RI
For more details
https://providencecenter.org/services/adult-servic...
http://www.crimesolutions.gov/ProgramDetails.aspx?...
Target Audience
Women
Additional Audience
Infants

Related Promising Practices

  1. Behavioral Couples Therapy for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (BCT)
  2. SISTERS
  3. Project Towards No Drug Abuse
  4. Multimodal Substance Abuse Prevention
  5. Orange County Juvenile Substance Abuse Treatment Court
  6. Parent-Child Assistance Program

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Related Content for: Project Link

An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.
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