Evaluation of the youth drug program: is staffing a phone line for young drug users a useful addition to aftercare?

Abstract

This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the Youth Drug Program for aftercare. Occurring in the program's pilot year, it assessed whether staffing a peer-support · telephone line coupled with attending group counselling was a beneficial addition to traditional resources for young adults in recovery. The evaluation's conclusions addressed policy, practice and theory. Hudson scales (Computer Assisted Social Services, 1992) assessed three service objectives and one outcome goal for the Youth Drug Program (enhanced peer relations, self-esteem and family relations; reduced alcohol abuse). Mean scores for the experimental group were compared with those of three nonequivalent comparison groups over a three month period. The experimental group suggested improvement in all areas except peer relations, pending the study's replication. A more rigorous study involving larger populations would be recommended to further assess the complementarity of peer-support telephone work to group counselling in substance abuse aftercare for young adults.