"Urban Native Women in recovery from addictions: Towards holistic integration of Treatment and Aftercare Services"

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the adequacy of current addiction services for Vancouver's urban Native women in recovery from addiction. It is evident that urban Native women continue to be at risk of recidivism, due to a multitude of issues that directly affect their ability to maintain a health addiction-free lifestyle. If recidivism is to be reduced, there needs to be a dramatic reconstruction of current addiction services. In fact, there is a need to integrate treatment and aftercare services, in conjunction with systemic changes that provide a holistic approach to addressing the issues faced by this population. Certainly, First Nations women are recovering from addiction, in spite of the failure to meet their needs. Regardless, as this study indicates, urban Native women experience unique difficulties in their efforts to find a new way to live, difficulties that could be mitigated by providing holistic and integrated services.