Improving Treatment for Drug-Exposed Infants
Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 5

Mental Health Services for the Parents

Substance abusers in general, and substance-abusing women in particular, often have coexisting mental health problems that must be attended to during treatment. Necessary services include:

1. Mental health and psychiatric evaluation and treatment services, especially for depression.
2. Assessment and counseling for physical and sexual abuse, and for the possibility of post-traumatic stress disorder.
3. Counseling and training in self-esteem and image enhancement.
4. Training in interpersonal skills.
5. Training in self-sufficiency and independent living (feeding, housing, preparing meals, locating child care, etc.).
6. Relationship training between men and women.