A treatment model for women substance users

This paper sets forth a multifaceted program which consists of drug user women-centered counseling plus ancillary services based on the five basic steps of Freire's empowerment theory. The program is designed to increase self-awareness, skills, and knowledge acquisition, to reduce feelings of isolation by broadening interpersonal networks, includes activities to enhance assertiveness and communication skills, and parenting education to counteract inappropriate mother-child interaction as well as to positively influence role modeling. Both transportation and child care are recommended ancillary services.