Poster Presentation

THE IMPACT OF ABSENTEEISM POLICY INTERVENTIONS ON ADULT DRUG TREATMENT COURT OUTCOMES

Amanda Teye

Department of Political Science

Participants in Drug Treatment Courts (DTC) often fail to attend the

treatment services, which hinders the behavioral changes that the DTC

and participants aim to achieve. This study uses a systemic purposive

sampling of 176 high-risk high-needs participants in the Rockingham

Harrisonburg Drug Treatment Court (RHDTCP) over a 15-month period.

We analyzed the impact of an absenteeism policy on absences and

program outcomes using an inquiry mode, an explanatory research

design, and a quantitative analysis methodology approach to provide

empirical support for our research findings. The study also examines the

individual subgroup absences and their effect on program outcomes.

Since there is limited research on absenteeism policies in DTCs, this study

uses a healthcare study on potential barriers to attending treatment for

comparison. The findings suggest that implementing an attendance

policy significantly reduces the number of participant absences from

treatment. However, there are other factors, such as employment,

housing, substance abuse, mental health, and absences, that negatively

impact DTC participant graduation. Further research is necessary to

address the barriers to attending DTCs, including "Can't Go, Won't Go,

Don't Know," to increase the success rates of Drug Treatment Courts and

support participants in their journey toward successful recovery from

addiction. We recommend that DTCs mitigate absences by implementing

an absenteeism policy that contains specific consequences for non-

compliance, is reviewed frequently with participants, and is accessible in

all formats and languages.

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