An integrated drug counseling and employment intervention for methadone clients

After drug use stabilization, employment has long been considered an important goal for clients enrolled in Methadone Maintenance Treatment Programs (MMTPs). The integrated counseling and employment intervention described here is a manualized treatment based on interpersonal cognitive problem solving (ICPS) theory. The six-month intervention utilized a problem-solving framework to help methadone clients obtain a job and manage employment within the context of drug treatment. In this pilot study, 23 subjects were randomly assigned to either integrated ICPS drug and employment counseling (n = 12) or to an ICPS drug counseling control condition (n = 11). While there were no differences between the integrated and control conditions, both groups showed a significant improvement in employment outcomes and reduction in HIV risk behaviors at the six-month follow-up. Although there may be concerns regarding the generalizability of the findings, overall, the problem solving framework may be an improvement over standard methadone counseling. The intervention may be beneficial when implemented with a larger group of motivated ex-offenders who are mandated to drug treatment as a condition of their parole.