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Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are rarely used to evaluate social and behavioral interventions designed for releasing prisoners. Objective: We use a pilot RCT of a social support intervention (Support Matters) as a case example to discuss obstacles and strategies for conducting RCT intervention evaluations that span prison and community contexts. Method: First, we summarize existing studies with current and former prisoner samples that highlight RCT methodological techniques. Then, we introduce the trial of Support Matters and discuss obstacles and efforts to overcome those obstacles. Results and Conclusions: We focus on factors related to sampling frame, participant eligibility, sample size, engagement, and attrition. We conclude with general recommendations related to project delays, compromised research sites, and retention. This article provides guidance based on lessons learned from an RCT of a social support intervention with releasing prisoners and their loved ones. Barriers discussed and recommendations presented here will help interventionists develop and implement RCTs in prison to community contexts.

The objective of this preliminary study was to determine the effectiveness of a female gender-specific substance abuse treatment intervention (Holistic Enrichment for At-Risk Teens, or HEART) in improving problems related to personal and social functioning. A quasi-experimental, 2-group pretest and posttest repeated measures design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment intervention with 101 incarcerated girls who met DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence. A repeated measures MANCOVA revealed that the HEART program appeared to be more effective in reducing problems related to social functioning than the standard treatment substance abuse intervention. At posttest, significant differences were found between the treatment and comparison groups on three of the four measures of social functioning: problems with family, problems with friends, and problems with school. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups on 3 posttest measures of personal functioning. A critical need exists for gender-sensitive substance abuse interventions in female juvenile correctional facilities. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral approach in changing the behavioral and cognitive skills of incarcerated girls participating in a substance abuse treatment program. A repeated measures design was used. The findings of this study revealed that the behaviors (i.e., self-monitoring, self-control, etc.) and cognitive skills (i.e., cognitive concentration, consequential thinking, etc.) of participants improved significantly. Research and practice implications are discussed. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

The rise in female delinquency has resulted in large numbers of girls being incarcerated in Youth Development Centers (YDC). However, there are few gender specific treatment programs for incarcerated female adolescent offenders, particularly for those with a history of substance dependency. In this article, we present a Multi-level Risk Model (MRM) for the assessment of adolescent female offenders and illustrate how components of effective gender-specific programming are germane for incarcerated teen girls with substance abuse and co-morbid mental health disorders. Application of this model to the HEART (Holistic Enrichment for At-Risk Teens) is presented. Implications for clinical, organizational, and research issues are discussed. (Contains 1 figure.)

This pilot study examined the effectiveness of an intensive, gender specific substance abuse treatment program, Holistic Enrichment for At-Risk Teens (HEART), on the psychosocial functioning of 30 incarcerated girls. A single-group multiple repeated measures design method was used to determine the effectiveness of the HEART program in reducing psychosocial problems associated with the behaviors of problem substance use and delinquency. The results showed that participants in the HEART program displayed significant improvement in eight of ten areas of psychosocial functioning: mental health, family relation, peer relations, educational status, vocational, leisure and recreational skills, and decreases in aggressive behaviors. The conclusion is that it is critical for juvenile correctional facilities to become sites where effective, empirically based treatment is provided.

The article offers insights on a response to Mark Chaves' speech on the practical interventions to aid social work students in handling spiritual and religious diversity. The author's suggestions of practical interventions on the trends described by Chaves are presented, such as spiritual assessment and ethnographic interviewing. It also discusses the provision of the caveat to educators on toxic spirituality and spiritual abuse.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including one by Lindley Sharp Curtis on congregations and end-of-life care, another by Joy Turner on Christian church confronting poverty, and another by John McAllister on social worker's role in domestic and marital violence.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), threatens the well-being, security, and lives of millions of religious women each year. Women of every class, color, and religious affiliation are affected by the consequences of IPV, which are numerous, complex, and far-reaching. Unfortunately, the church is not always a safe place to talk about the realities of IPV, and religious women may be more vulnerable than non-religious women when abused. Due to longstanding beliefs that are harmful to victims, misinformation about the nature of domestic abuse, propensities to avoid legal action, or misunderstandings about the seriousness of IPV, clergy and other religious leaders have too often failed to provide faithful help to women in abusive relationships. Despite these shortfalls, the Church has numerous strengths that can provide support and empower these women. In this article, the authors explore the nature and effects of violence perpetrated against women, the ways in which the Church and its leaders have inadvertently contributed to this problem, and ways in which social workers can be used to assist pastors and other religious leaders to best serve survivors of IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rates of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, are expected to increase with the swelling number of older adults in the coming years. With age-related diseases such as dementia causing gradual, yet imminent, physical and cognitive impairment, the responsibilities of caregiving also increase. In addition to health care organizations and social service agencies, social workers who are connected to faith communities can help people address the physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual challenges of living with cognitive and physical impairments, as well as the strains of caregiving. In order to provide the best resources, it is important for local congregations to understand the diverse needs of older adults with dementia-related cognitive impairment and to learn tangible ways to provide support and resources to these older adults, their families, and caregivers. This paper explores the realities of age-related memory impairments, the family caregiver as the predominant model of care, and offers the possibility of another model of caregiving through the church. The paper also provides specific examples of ways that social workers can assist the local church in addressing these issues in order to better meet the needs of their members. Social and theological implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]