Abstract
The therapeutic community (TC) is a major treatment modality serving a wide spectrum of substance abuse clients worldwide. The weight of the research evidence developed over some 40 years demonstrates that the TC is an effective and cost-effective treatment particularly for substance abusers with serious social and psychological problems in addition to their drug abuse. This chapter provides an overview of the essential elements of the TC approach: its perspective, method, program model, and adaptation for special populations, settings, and different cultures.
TCs have been successfully modified for special populations of substance users including those with co-occurring disorders, adolescents, women with children, criminal justice clients in prisons, and community-based settings. TC programs have been implemented in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. And, despite ethnic, social-political, and religious differences, TCs have retained their essential elements and effectiveness across a variety of cultures.
Its evolution over some 50 years has surfaced key issues that challenge the TC to maintain the integrity of its unique social psychological approach – community as method. Several of these are briefly highlighted including funding, workforce, research, treatment fidelity, and the diversity of TC programs. In the current context, the TC is compelled to reassert its place and mission in human services – that of promoting recovery and right living.
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Bunt GC, Muehlbach B, Moed CO (2008) The therapeutic community: an international perspective. Subst Abuse 29(3):81–87
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De Leon, G., Perfas, F.B., Joseph, A., Bunt, G. (2015). Therapeutic Communities for Addictions: Essential Elements, Cultural, and Current Issues. In: el-Guebaly, N., Carrà, G., Galanter, M. (eds) Textbook of Addiction Treatment: International Perspectives. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5322-9_52
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5322-9_52
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