Halfway House Research Articles

A promising recovery housing model for American Indian communities.

In 2016, two Oxford House (OH) recovery homes were established for the Suquamish Tribal reservation. A group of researchers interviewed house members and key individuals responsible for the creation of these two unique OHs. Because American Indians are an at-risk population for substance use disorders, our study explored whether an OH-type recovery home model could be successfully adapted to this population, given the specific nature of tribal cultures. Findings indicated that the residents, composed of both American Indians and non-American Indians, found these OHs to be supportive of recovery in general and with the values of American Indians. The tribal community's positive attitudes toward these recovery homes may have been due to similarities between the Suquamish Tribal Government and OH's democratic structures, with all individuals having a voice in the decision making process. The overall findings suggest that these types of culturally modified recovery settings on American Indian tribal lands could be an important resource for individuals dealing with substance use disorders.

Half-way House Fiduciary Duties: Medsted Associates Ltd v Canaccord Genuity Wealth (International) Ltd

Half-way House Fiduciary Duties: <i>Medsted Associates Ltd v Canaccord Genuity Wealth (International) Ltd</i>

BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ COMPLIANCE ON CHEMOTHERAPY: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Breast cancer is the most women cancer in the world, including Indonesia. Some patients stop breast cancer treatment which is impacted to patients' conditions. In chronic diseases, therapy compliance is important for reach successful therapy however study that assess breast cancer patients’ compliance on chemotherapy is limited. The purpose of this study was to describe patient factors that can affect therapy compliance. This research used descriptive quantitative method and respondents were chosen using the accidental sampling technique. The data were gathered at one of the halfway houses in Bandung. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed by univariate analysis and described by frequency distribution. The results showed that 26 respondents (84%) were obedient to chemotherapy. There were 28 respondents (90.3%) because they did not carry out alternative medicine and 26 respondents (83.9%) had because they put aside work and related affairs to do chemotherapy. In conclusion, the majority of respondents were obedient to chemotherapy. There are patient factors that can improve chemotherapy compliance, there are chosen therapy factor and demographic and economic factors. Development of another halfway houses could be carried out, because of the result of this research, representing many breast cancer patients feels easier to obedient the sequence of therapy.Keywords: Breast cancer, therapy compliance, halfway house.

Images and Narratives of Law and Order in the Manga KOBAN

While law and justice issues are well represented in the vast and diverse world of Japanese Manga, the medium’s predilection for fantasy tends to produce futuristic or overblown fiction far removed from everyday life. Fantastic treatments may also reflect relatively low awareness of legal matters in a society of low crime and litigation. One law and order institution that most people are familiar with, however, is the network of community police boxes that covers Japan, and this has spawned a gag-ridden yet somewhat more realistic genre of justice-related comics. This article focuses on Ishikawa Chika’s KOBAN, whose humour revolves around the contrasting personalities and petty squabbles of two cops in their dealings with mundane police work. The characters, plots and conversations are visually supported by juxtaposing the weaponry and equipment of law enforcement with childlike facial features and cute mascots, thereby constructing the police box as a halfway house between local neighbourliness and state bureaucracy.

Parent empowerment program in caring for children with leukemia

The purpose of this study was to analyze family behavior in caring for children with leukemia through the parent empowerment program. Using a pre/posttest design and pre-experimental research design. The population in this study were 50 families with children suffering from leukemia who underwent treatment in the Dr. Soetomo Surabaya and currently living in the halfway house of the Indonesian Child Cancer Care Foundation (YPKAI) Surabaya. There was an effect of the application of the parent empowerment program on family behavior in caring for children with leukemia with significance values for knowledge (p=0.000), attitude (p=0.000), and action (p=0.000). Family behavior in treating children with leukemia consists of indicators of knowledge, attitudes, and actions. Nurses can facilitate families through the implementation of the parent empowerment program to collaborate with doctors in treating children with leukemia.

Technology Use Patterns Among Patients Enrolled in Inpatient Detoxification Treatment.

Technology-based interventions offer a practical, low-cost, and scalable approach to optimize the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs) and related comorbidities (HIV, hepatitis C infection). This study assessed technology use patterns (mobile phones, desktop computers, internet, social media) among adults enrolled in inpatient detoxification treatment. A 49-item, quantitative and qualitative semi-structured survey assessed for demographic characteristics, technology use patterns (ie, mobile phone, text messaging [TM], smart phone applications, desktop computer, internet, and social media use), privacy concerns, and barriers to technology use. We used multivariate logistic regression models to assess the association between respondent demographic and clinical characteristics and their routine use of technologies. Two hundred and six participants completed the survey. Nearly all participants reported mobile phone ownership (86%). Popular mobile phone features included TM (96%), web-browsers (81%), and accessing social media (61%). There was high mobile phone (3.3 ± 2.98) and phone number (2.6 ± 2.36) turnover in the preceding 12 months. Nearly half described daily or weekly access to desktop computers (48%) and most reported internet access (67%). Increased smartphone ownership was associated with higher education status (P = 0.022) and homeless respondents were less likely to report mobile phone ownership (P = 0.010) compared to participants with any housing status (ie, own apartment, residing with friends, family, or in a halfway house). Internet search engines were used by some participants (39.4%, 71/180) to locate 12 step support group meetings (37%), inpatient detoxification programs (35%), short- or long-term rehabilitation programs (32%), and outpatient treatment programs (4%). Technology use patterns among this hard-to-reach sample of inpatient detoxification respondents suggest high rates of mobile phone ownership, TM use, and moderate use of technology to facilitate linkage to addiction treatment services.

The Evolution of Localized Housing Recovery in Japan

Localized disaster recovery housing refers to housing made using local resources (materials, people, and skills). Using local resources to build temporary and permanent housing for people who lost their homes helps revitalize the disaster-affected area by contributing to the local economy and supporting local businesses. In the context of Japan, localized housing recovery can be understood as using some or all of the following: timber materials; traditional/local wood construction methods; and local companies and craftspeople. The term ‘localized housing recovery,’ chiikigata juutaku fukkou in Japanese, was first used in the recovery of the Yamakoshi area of Nagaoka City after the 2004 Chuetsu Earthquake, where local timber and carpenters were included from the post-disaster planning through rebuilding phases. While wooden temporary housing was rarely used since the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake in Kobe, after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake a “localized type” of construction used local natural resources for the construction of wooden temporary housing or recovery housing, including over 6,000 units of wooden temporary housing in Fukushima Prefecture alone. A similar approach was used after the 2011 Flood Disaster in the Kii Peninsula. This paper provides an overview of the evolution process of this localized recovery housing in Japan.

Substance craving changes in university students receiving heart rate variability biofeedback: A longitudinal multilevel modeling approach

BackgroundPreviously published findings from a study of university students living in substance use disorder (SUD) recovery housing showed an eight-session heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) intervention significantly reduced craving. That study, however, uncovered pronounced inter-participant variability in craving change patterns through the course of HRVB that warranted further exploration. The purpose of the current investigation was to examine how within- and between-person factors may have differentially influenced craving changes. MethodsA longitudinal multilevel modeling approach was used with time at level-1 nested within persons at level-2. Multilevel models of change were estimated to model craving trajectories and predictor relationships over time as a function of age, sex, length of abstinence, daily HRVB practice, anxiety, depression, and stress. ResultsA quadratic pattern of craving reductions was found, indicating that craving reductions accelerated over time for some participants. Daily HRVB practice of >12 min and older age significantly enhanced craving reductions over time. Increases in depressive symptoms attenuated the effects of HRVB on craving. The other predictors were not significantly associated with craving in this study. The true R2 for the final model indicated that 20.5% of the variance in craving was explained by older age, daily HRVB >12 min, and within-person changes in depression. ConclusionsHRVB shows promise as an accessible, scalable, and cost-effective complementary anti-craving intervention. Healthcare providers may help persons recovering from SUD to better manage substance craving by the routine and strategic use of HRVB practice.

“I have more support around me to be able to change”: a qualitative exploration of probationers’ and parolees’ experiences living in sober living houses

Persons in the U.S. who are incarcerated for drug offenses are increasingly being released into the community as a way to decrease prison and jail overcrowding. One challenge is finding housing that supports compliance with probation and parole requirements, which often includes abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Sober living houses (SLHs) are alcohol- and drug-free living environments that are increasingly being used as housing options for probationers and parolees. Although a few studies have reported favorable outcomes for residents of SLHs, little is known about resident experiences or the factors that are experienced as helpful or counterproductive. This study conducted qualitative interviews with 28 SLH residents on probation or parole to understand their experiences living in the houses, aspects of the houses that facilitated recovery, ways residence in a SLH affected compliance with probation and parole, and ways the houses addressed HIV risk, a widespread problem among this population. Interviews were audiotaped and coded for dominant themes. Study participants identified housing as a critically important need after incarceration. For residents nearing the end of their stay in the SLHs, there was significant concern about where they might live after they left. Residents emphasized that shared experiences and goals, consistent enforcement of rules (especially the requirement of abstinence), and encouragement from probation and parole officers as particularly helpful. There was very little focus in HIV issues, even though risk behaviors were common. For some residents, inconsistent enforcement of house rules was experienced as highly problematic. Research is needed to identify the organizational and operational procedures that enhance factors experienced as helpful. This paper is the first to document the views and experiences of persons on probation or parole who reside in sober living recovery houses. These data can be used by SLH operators to develop houses that are responsive to factors experienced as helpful and counterproductive. The significance of this paper is evident in the trend toward decreasing incarceration in the U.S. of persons convicted of drug offenses and the need for alcohol- and drug-free alternative living environments.

Opening Doors to Literature: People &amp; Stories / Gente y Cuentos

People &amp; Stories/Gente y Cuentos (P&amp;S/GyC) is a non-profit literacy outreach organization with headquarters in the U.S. state of New Jersey (https://peopleandstories.org/). P&amp;S/GyC is guided by a belief in the power of literature to positively impact transitioning populations, such as halfway house residents, immigrants working toward citizenship, and veterans reintegrating into civilian life. Homeless parents and senior citizens are also invited to participate in P&amp;S/GyC’s reading programs, which include oral readings and seminar-style discussions of literary short stories. The stories chosen for P&amp;S/GyC programs typically embody the best qualities of enduring literature: artistic richness, explorations of life complexities, wonders, and ambiguities. Participants learn to connect knowledge synthesized from their own life experiences with stories under discussion in an atmosphere of trust established by trained facilitators. P&amp;S/GyC’s beginnings date back to 1972, when founder Sarah Hirschman invited a group of Puerto Rican women in Cambridge, Massachusetts to engage with their cultural heritage through reading literature in their first language—Spanish. English reading groups were added to P&amp;S/GyC’s design in 1986, and today the program collaborates with social service organizations, such as the Harvard Humanities and Liberal Arts Assessment Lab, and other partner sites in the states of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. In 2016, the National Endowment for the Humanities recognized the extraordinary work of P&amp;S/GyC by funding a 30-month expansion program called “Reading Deeply in Community,” partnering with ten public library systems around the country.

Inclusive housing: progress for mental health?

People with psychiatric disabilities often have difficulty living by themselves in their home. Sometimes, individual housing may be an isolation vector while a collective institutional setting may be too restrictive. So, alternative forms of co-housing have been developed. The term inclusive housing includes “maisons relais”, “pensions de famille”, “résidences accueil” and “Familles Gouvernantes” (halfway houses, guest houses, and foster homes). These houses’ aim, implemented by the hosts, is to fight against social exclusion in order to open up to the city. The goal is to offer the people the opportunity to empower themselves while respecting their abilities, thus promoting their recovery. When building projects, the limits must be designed to adapt to the needs of tenants, without setting rules that would be too strict. The French government is committed to promoting the development of habitat inclusive (inclusive housing) in the future. The increasing number of projects has to take place under conditions that guarantee their sustainability. To make it happen, it is necessary that the projects respect the people’s autonomy.

"Vi tager lige en snak"

In the field of social work in the Danish welfare state, establishing dialogue between clients and social workers is typically viewed as key to success. But what is a good dialogue in this context? This article destabilizes common logics and practices which impact social work within the Danish Prison and Probation Service. The article is based on ethnographic fieldwork in two halfway houses and it shows how ideals of natural and unforced dialogue permeate social work. However, at the same time the article shows how such dialogue typically follow a specific template, making staff active co-producers of inmate’s stories.

Stepping Stone, Halfway House or Road to Nowhere? Green Support of Minority Government in Sweden, New Zealand and Australia

AbstractWhilst much has been written about the opportunities and perils of Green participation in national coalition governments, analysis of Greens supporting minority governments is less common and has not focused on comparative-historical trends as this article does. We look beyond single case studies of Green-supported minority governments in order to establish historical party trajectories and policy impact over time in three countries with different political systems. The extent of the comparative work here has never previously been undertaken and establishes that repeat instances of such support can provide the basis for more stable and effective future interparty governing relationships. However, we argue that, whilst trust can build between parties to minority government arrangements over decades, it is not assured, and, whilst Green parties may achieve ministerial control after repeat instances of supporting minority governments, the benefits of doing so are not guaranteed.

Nicotine addiction and substance use disorder treatment: The Philadelphia story

The Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and its leadership have a well‐deserved reputation for pioneering recovery‐oriented systems of care. Effective Jan. 1, 2019, the agency initiated an aggressive policy to address the problem of nicotine addiction among those receiving substance use disorder (SUD) services in contracted facilities. The policy covers nine detox facilities, 32 short‐term rehabilitation programs, 31 long‐term rehabilitation programs and eight halfway houses.

How secure are bare metal servers?

Bare metal servers have been around for a while now and are often seen as the perfect halfway house between a full-blown dedicated server and a shared server. They offer the same high-end performance and security you would get from a dedicated server, but with the same levels of flexibility as a shared solution.

‘Learning to re-create your life’: an evaluation of a residential mental health recovery program

ABSTRACT Personal recovery is enshrined in Australian and international mental health policy. Services seeking to support people to lead meaningful lives of their choosing require mental health professionals to embrace alternative practices. In this paper, we present the findings of an evaluation of a 15-week residential program aspiring to promote personal recovery in Perth, Western Australia. Group work is the main service delivery mode, and the program is premised on the belief that a therapeutic peer community environment has the potential to create conditions for recovery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 consumers following graduation, and at six months follow-up (n = 9) which explored their experiences of the program, its strengths, areas for improvement, and impact. Data were analysed using a general inductive approach which was guided by the evaluation objectives. Participants reported that the Recovery House was emotionally challenging, personally transformative, and unlike any other service or program experience. Key elements that supported recovery were the live-in nature of the program; the emphasis on commitment and taking personal responsibility; use of a peer community as a therapeutic tool; and the focus on deep emotional healing and making meaning. Challenges included communal living, and transitioning back into the community post-program. Recovery House represents an attempt to depart from traditional relationships and ways of working within mental health services by emphasising self-determination, equal relationships, and creating opportunities to deeply explore emotional distress. Evaluation findings suggest that intensive therapeutic group work may be a powerful contributor to supporting recovery.

Pathways to recovery: recovery housing models for men who have sex with men (MSM)

Background & Aims: Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) face distinct recovery challenges. This mixed-methods study examines the service needs and help-seeking pathways of MSM (N = 25) living in a group of recovery residences operated in Texas, one of which is a home specifically designated for gay and bisexual men.Methods: Upon intake, adult MSM were recruited to complete an interview assessing the extent of their service needs as well as their recovery goals and expectations about their stay. Men were recruited regardless of whether they moved into the home designated for gay and bisexual men or into another one of the men’s homes.Results: MSM in the sample reported high rates of health conditions, depression, victimization, and sex risk behaviors. A greater number of them entering the gay and bisexual men’s home reported being in recovery from amphetamine use, having a chronic medical problem, and being physically assaulted as an adult. The majority of MSM, regardless of home type, were seeking emotional and social support as well as accountability in their recovery home experience, but MSM in the gay and bisexual men’s home talked about emotion and social support most frequently and within the context of emotional safety.Conclusions: MSM entering recovery housing have complex service needs. Recovery housing may play an important role in supporting recovery among MSM. Residences specifically for them could be tailored to address their unique needs by fostering connections to other sexual minorities in recovery and facilitating social identity transformation.

Several Common Bonds: Addressing the Needs of Gay and Bisexual Men in LGBT-Specific Recovery Housing

ABSTRACTRecovery housing is a promising way to augment the substance use continuum of care, but we know little about the experiences of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community who live in them or about residences specifically for them. Within the LGBTQ community, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) often experience co-occurring syndemic conditions (e.g., trauma, depression, HIV) that present unique recovery challenges. Using qualitative data gathered from residents living in a recovery residence specifically for gay and bisexual men and from community key informants, we examine the experiences of men living in the home and factors that facilitate operating it. Findings highlight the need for residences that can address syndemic burden among gay and bisexual men in recovery and identify programmatic and community-level factors critical to operating residences for this population.

Margaret Oliphant and the Changing World of Victorian Journalism

This essay examines the range and variety of Margaret Oliphant's articles and reviews written over a period of more than forty years. The obituary in Blackwood's Magazine described her as 'the most accomplished periodical writer of her day', as distinct from a journalist, an accolade that would have pleased her in view of her scepticism of the professionalization of journalism that she witnessed at the end of her career. She tried her hand at the new shorter articles that became the norm at the end of the nineteenth century, but preferred the expansive essays and ‘miscellaneous articles’ that John Blackwood encouraged her to write for his house magazine. She was critical of the fashion for collecting periodical essays and reviews into books, declaring the magazine ‘a halfway house between the ephemeral and the permanent’ and looked back at the end of her writing life to the middle decades of the century when she had flourished as a ‘person of letters’.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and the IL28B genotype polymorphism among blood donors and high-risk populations.

To study the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in blood donor (BD), haemodialysis (HD) and intravenous drug user (IVDU) populations in Singapore and assess the IL28B polymorphism if HCV positive. The BD population were healthy volunteers, the HD population were patients who were on haemodialysis for at least six months of follow-up between January 2009 and December 2014. IVDU population was from inmates at halfway houses who consented. Between 2011 and 2014, of 161,658 individuals who underwent screening prior to blood donation, 95 (0.059%) were positive for HCV. Of the 42 sera available, common genotypes (GTs) were GT-3 (47.6%) and GT-1 (31.0%). Of 1,575 HD patients, 2.2% were anti-HCV positive. The HCV GT distribution was HCV GT-1 (32.4%), HCV GT-3 (20.5%) and GT-6 (8.8%). 83 halfway house inmates were screened. Of the 47 IVDUs, 36.2% were anti-HCV positive with predominant GT-3 (%). IL28B polymorphism was noted to be CC predominantly 85.3%. Prevalence of HCV infection has decreased in both the BD and HD populations. However, it remains high in the IVDU population. GT-1 remains the most common in the HD population; however, GT-3 infection is now more common among the BD population in Singapore. IL28B - CC is the predominant variant among the HCV-infected individuals in Singapore.