Community context of sober living houses
Community context of sober living houses
复制标题
DOI：
10.3109/16066359.2012.665967
复制
发表时间：
2012-01-01
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Wittman, Fried
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Polcin, Douglas L.;Henderson, Diane;Wittman, Fried
旨在解决酒精和毒品问题的项目的成败可能会受到它们所在社区的深刻影响。来自社区的支持对长期稳定至关重要，与社区的冲突可能会损害项目的声誉，甚至导致项目关闭。这项研究通过采访关键的利益相关者群体，调查了北加州一个社区的清醒生活屋(SLH)的社区背景。SLH是为试图戒除物质使用的个人提供的无酒精和无毒品的生活环境。之前对SLH居民的研究表明，他们在物质使用、精神症状、逮捕和就业方面的指标都有长期的改善。对房屋经理、邻居以及来自当地政府和社区组织的关键线人进行了采访。总体而言，利益相关者认为SLH是必要的，并对社区产生积极影响。有人强调，SLH需要实行禁止使用药物和鼓励社区服务的“睦邻”政策。SLH的大小和密度似乎影响了邻居的感知。对于小(六人或更少)、人烟稀少的房屋来说，融入社区的策略似乎奏效了。然而，很明显，较大、人口稠密的房屋需要积极管理与社区利益相关者的关系。讨论了改善与近邻的关系、减少耻辱和拓宽领导结构的策略。讨论了广泛的以社区为基础的项目的含义。
The success or failure of programs designed to address alcohol and drug problems can be profoundly influenced by the communities where they are located. Support from the community is vital for long-term stability and conflict with the community can harm a program's reputation or even result in closure. This study examined the community context of sober living houses (SLHs) in one Northern California community by interviewing key stakeholder groups. SLHs are alcohol-and drug-free living environments for individuals attempting to abstain from substance use. Previous research on residents of SLHs showed they make long-term improvements on measures of substance use, psychiatric symptoms, arrests, and employment. Interviews were completed with house managers, neighbors, and key informants from local government and community organizations. Overall, stakeholders felt SLHs were necessary and had a positive impact on the community. It was emphasized that SLHs needed to practice a "good neighbor" policy that prohibited substance use and encouraged community service. Size and density of SLHs appeared to influence neighbor perceptions. For small (six residents or less), sparsely populated houses, a strategy of blending in with the neighborhood seemed to work. However, it was clear that larger, densely populated houses need to actively manage relationships with community stakeholders. Strategies for improving relationships with immediate neighbors, decreasing stigma, and broadening the leadership structure are discussed. Implications for a broad array of community-based programs are discussed.