Progress to Life Transformation: Measuring Self-Sufficiency in Addiction Recovery Among Populations Experiencing...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Addiction Medicine
• Social Work

Background:

• Individuals experiencing homelessness exhibit higher rates of substance abuse, poorer health, and increased mortality from opioid overdose.
• Assessing recovery progress in this population is complex due to numerous influencing factors.
• Outcome assessment is crucial for enhancing recovery programs and validating interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a homeless provider organization's experience adapting a model to measure program impact.
• To assess improvements in self-sufficiency and stability among individuals in addiction recovery.
• To inform public health nursing practice regarding services for homeless individuals in recovery.

Main Methods:

• Adaptation of the Progress to Life Transformation Model, focusing on self-sufficiency.
• Implementation within a 1-year residential faith-based addictions recovery program.
• Measurement of improvements across diverse life domains for persons experiencing homelessness.

Main Results:

• The adapted model provided a framework for tracking progress in self-sufficiency and stability.
• The case study demonstrates a practical approach to outcome assessment in a challenging population.
• The experience highlights the importance of tailored measurement tools for addiction recovery programs.

Conclusions:

• Adapting self-sufficiency models can effectively measure recovery progress for homeless individuals.
• This approach can guide public health nursing and service organizations in improving care.
• Evidence-based practices in measuring addiction recovery are vital for this vulnerable population.