NCJ Number
190963
Journal
Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: 2002 Pages: 113-134
Date Published
2002
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This paper examines efforts to address substance abuse in the Hispanic/Latino population in the United States, with attention to the CURA program, an Hispanic/Latino drug therapeutic community in Newark, New Jersey.
Abstract
There is a serious substance abuse problem in the Hispanic/Latino population in the United States, especially in such urban areas as Newark and Jersey City, New Jersey. Since heroin is one of the primary drugs of choice, there is also a high rate of HIV transmission through the sharing of contaminated drug paraphernalia. In addition to drug abuse, there are high rates of crime, unemployment, and early high school dropout. Cultural barriers and poverty interfere with access to appropriate health care and drug treatment programs. The predominant residential modality for treating addictions from Chile to China is the therapeutic community. The therapeutic community is a milieu type of therapy that uses peer counselors, group pressure, and rational authority figures in a functional "family" setting. Transgressions and irrational thinking are often met with abrasive challenges. In an effort to respond to cultural needs, CURA, a Hispanic/Latino program, was established in 1973. CURA prepares recovering addicts to achieve a substance-free lifestyle by renewing their self-awareness and self-respect, establishing a vocational direction, reaffirming basic ties to family background and culture, and providing them with tools to live as productive members of society. CURA not only emphasizes the cultural component, but also promotes the educational component to ensure lasting stability for the resident in the outside world after program completion. In addition to the wide range of programs for women, men, adolescents, and children, CURA provides medical care, educational development, vocational training, creative expression, recreational activities, housing, and job referrals. In order to assess the success rate of the program, an archival study was conducted, using data from CURA's residential programs in 1998 and 1999. The retention rates for both clients (50-80 percent) and staff (over 90 percent) were impressive, far above traditional graduation rates for similarly located traditional therapeutic communities. Recommendations are offered for future research. 1 table and 33 references