PREVENTING RELAPSE AMONG INNER-CITY ADDICTS--VIDEO

PROJECT: RESEARCH AND PRODUCE A VIDEOTAPE THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF AN UNDERSERVED POPULATION--THAT OF INNER-CITY RECOVERING ADDICTS WHO MUST RETURN TO AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT. TO OFTEN, INNER-CITY RESIDENTS LEAVE TREATMENT PROGRAMS OR PRISONS NEWLY-ABSTINENT, YET INADEQUATELY PREPARED TO WITHSTAND THE UNIQUE PRESSURES OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT; THE CONTINUED AVAILABILITY OF DRUGS, LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES, AND SHAKY SUPPORT SYSTEMS. THE TRADITIONAL RESOURCES OF PSYCHOTHERAPY OR 12-STEP PROGRAMS MAY BE EITHER UNAVAILABLE OR FOREIGN TO THE CLIENT'S EXPERIENCE, AND LESS LIKELY TO BE UTILIZED. THE VIDEOTAPE WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND PRISONS TO ASSIST COUNSELORS IN EFFECTIVELY TREAING THIS POPULATION. PHASE I: 1) RESEARCH AND IDENTIFY THE MOST COMMON RELAPSE TRAPS FOR INNER CITY ADDICTS (BY INTERVIEWING EXPERTS AND SUCCESSFUL AND RELAPSED ADDICTS). 2) IDENTIFY SPECIFIC ATTITUDES/ACTIONS THAT COUNTER RELAPSE TRAPS PHASE II: 3) PRODUCE A VIDEOTAPE FOR DISTRIBUTION TO TREATMENT PROGRAMS, FEATUREING RECOVERING CRACK AND HEROIN ADDICTS IDENTIFYING RELAPSE PREVENTION TECHNIQUES THAT HAVE WORKED FOR EACH OF THE IDENTIFIED TRAPS. 4) TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VIDEOTAPE WITH POST VIEWING QUESTIONNAIRES AND FEEDBACK.