Mobilizing community support in people receiving opioid-agonist treatment: A group approach

Abstract

This descriptive study evaluates a novel group intervention designed to help opioid-dependent patients in medication-assisted treatment identify and recruit drug-free individuals to support recovery efforts. The Social Network Activation Group works with patients who are actively using drugs and resistant to including drug-free family or friends in treatment. The group encourages patients to attend structured recovery, religious, or recreational activities in the community to find recovery support. For those with underutilized support, motivational interviewing and skills training are used to help patients resolve ambivalence and include family or friends in the treatment plan. Patients earn up to one methadone take-home each week that they attend the group and verify activity participation. They complete the group after introducing a drug-free family member or friend to their counselor. This study reports on a sample of 66 patients referred to this group as part of intensive outpatient treatment. Patients attended 71% of scheduled sessions and participated in a M = 4.3 activities. Mutual-help support groups (64%) and church (28%) were the activities most often attended. Thirty-six percent brought in a drug-free family or friend to meet their counselor. Family members were the most common choice (67%). The results demonstrate preliminary feasibility and mixed efficacy of the Social Network Activation Group for this highly select sample of patients, and provide additional evidence that many patients possess drug-free family or friends who are willing to support recovery efforts.

Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a community support intervention for people with opioid use disorder

“…Perhaps patients valued privacy over the potential benefits of enlisting support. Based partly on this response, we developed a group intervention that uses motivational interviewing principles to help patients resolve ambivalence regarding significant other participation 26 . Incorporating telehealth strategies 27 might improve rates of participation for those worried about time commitment.…”

“…Based partly on this response, we developed a group intervention that uses motivational interviewing principles to help patients resolve ambivalence regarding significant other participation. 26 Incorporating telehealth strategies 27 might improve rates of participation for those worried about time commitment. A study evaluating reasons for disinterest might suggest strategies to improve intervention uptake.…”

“I Grew Up Amidst Alcohol and Drugs:” a Qualitative Study on the Lived Experiences of Parental Substance Use Among Adults Who Developed Substance Use Disorders Themselves

“…Prior to tailored treatment planning, the nature of social network support should be systematically assessed. Research provides additional evidence that many persons in substance use treatment possess non-substance using family or friends who are willing to support recovery efforts (153). Activating non-substance using family and friends has shown to provide potential pathways to help persons with SUDs access and benefit from community support (154,155).…”

Behavioral and Psychological Interventions for Addiction

“…This means separating from "friends" they used drugs with or who create feelings that trigger use, building up positive supports with sober people, like friends who are clean or solidly in recovery, a sponsor, or supportive family members. Research has shown that the addition of a sober partner in recovery greatly facilitated successful recovery [5,6]. If a person knows that going to a bar, even if they don't drink, will make them want to get high, they need to avoid that situation.…”