Youth exiting foster care represent a unique, at-risk population in that they receive supportive health services while under the umbrella of the foster care system, but access to care can drop precipitously upon release from foster custody. Traditional means of substance use treatment may not meet the needs of this vulnerable population. Mobile interventions, however, have demonstrated high acceptability and efficacy across a range of mental and physical health issues. The specific advantages to mobile interventions dovetail well with the barriers faced by youth exiting foster care. This study describes the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of iHeLP, a computer- and mobile phone-based intervention based in Motivational Interviewing for reducing substance use among youth exiting foster care (n = 33). Participants were randomly assigned to either iHeLP or a contact control, each of which lasted six months. Feasibility was evaluated through eligibility and enrollment rates at baseline, and retention and intervention reach rates 3, 6, 9, and 12 months later. Acceptability was measured through a 5-item satisfaction measure and exit interviews. The two groups were then compared on a monthly measure of substance use. Study enrollment, retention, response rate, engagement, and satisfaction were all very good. Participants receiving iHeLP reported higher percent days abstinent than the control group, with effect sizes ranging from 0.32 to 0.62. Technology-based interventions such as iHeLP may be attractive to this population and support efforts towards reductions in substance use.

Youth who are aging out of the foster care system face significant barriers to accessing substance use treatment. Mobile interventions have shown efficacy for several mental and physical health issues and may be helpful in overcoming barriers facing foster youth with substance use problems. A program (iHeLP) for substance use reduction was developed that used a computerized screening and brief intervention (SBI) followed by six months of dynamically-tailored text messages. The program was shown to focus groups of youth (N = 24) ages 18-19 who recently left foster care and had moderate to severe substance use risk. Focus group feedback was used to modify iHeLP prior to delivery in an open trial (N = 16). Both study phases included assessments of feasibility and acceptability; the open trial also included assessments of substance use outcomes at 3 and 6 months. Focus groups indicated a high level of acceptability for the proposed intervention components. Of those screened for the open trial, 43% were eligible and 74% of those eligible enrolled, indicating good feasibility. Retention through the final follow-up was 59%, and drop out was associated with involvement in the criminal justice system. Participant ratings for liking, ease of working with, interest in and respectfulness of the SBI were high. Satisfaction ratings for the texting component were also high. A computerized brief screening intervention for substance use risk reduction together with tailored text messaging is both feasible and highly acceptable among youth who have recently aged-out of foster care.

Youth in foster care have limited access to substance use services for a variety of reasons. Attempts to unpack this health disparity have focused on foster care systems, administrators, providers, and foster parents. This study seeks to understand the perspectives of youth themselves, with the hope of understanding their experiences with and preferences for such services. Analyses of focus groups with youth who had recently left foster care suggested concrete and perceptual facilitators/barriers to treatment. Concrete facilitators/barriers included the need for expanding social support, access to multiple service options, and tailored intervention approaches. Perceptual concerns revolved around understanding each individual’s readiness to change, feeling judged by authority figures, and desiring help from people with lived experience. Participants also described novel intervention ideas, including a focus on technology-based approaches. By relying on youth voices, we can improve upon the current state of substance use interventions within foster care.

Early recovery after substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is a period of high risk. The majority of people will relapse, often within weeks of completing treatment. In the modern era, re-entry upon completion of treatment includes both digital and non-digital spaces. Digital spaces, including social media, present unique challenges to the recovery journey. However, research has rarely focused on this critical period and the ways in which technology affect it. We conducted in-depth interviews with 29 participants (8 recoverees and 21 support professionals) across two treatment sites to explore this gap. Using an inductive thematic approach, we gained insights into digital social re-entry, a term that we introduce to describe the process of re-engaging with social spaces online. We describe the work of digital social re-entry, which includes 1) remaking social networks, 2) maintaining boundaries, 3) managing triggering content, 4) resisting access to substances, and 5) shifting personal identity. We conclude by characterizing strategies for navigating digital social re-entry and discussing ways to better support recoverees during this aspect of their recovery journey.