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Merith Cosden
I am currently doing research on trauma-informed, substance abuse treatment for clients who have experienced trauma and who have co-occuring substance abuse and mental health disorders. I also continue to study the special needs of adolescents and adults with learning disabilities in psychotherapy. Below are listed my current grant activities.
Evaluation of S.B. County Drug Treatment Courts
Funded by Santa Barbara County Drug and Alcohol Programs(2002- 2010)
The grant involves evaluation of court-based drug treatment services offered throughout Santa Barbara County. When the traditional adversarial system of justice proved ineffective in addressing alcohol and other drug abuse, treatment providers and criminal justice practitioners collaborated to create the concept of treatment-oriented drug courts. The first Drug Court was implemented in Florida in 1989, and the Santa Barbara Substance Abuse Treatment Court (SATC) followed in 1997 as one of the first 200 Drug Courts in the nation. California voters implemented another option for drug diversion with the Substance Abuse Crime Prevention Act (SACPA) in November 2000. Dr. Cosden and UCSB are part of the interdisciplinary teams of treatment providers, criminal justice professionals who work with both the SATC and SACPA treatment programs. Success and recidivism is monitored, as well as variables associated with each including age, gender, ethnicity, education, employment, drug use history, social support, and psychiatric history. Feedback provided to the treatment team has helped to make the program more successful over time. Dr. Cosden’s research team also conducts exit interviews with clients in order to determine their satisfaction with services, and their perceptions of factors associated with successful program completion.
Methamphetamine Recovery Services (MARS)
Funded by SAMHSA-CSAT to Santa Barbara County and UCSB (2008-2011)
The Methamphetamine Recovery Services (MARS) project is designed to enhance the services received by participants in a drug court to improve treatment outcomes. Currently the Santa Barbara County Substance Abuse Treatment Court (SATC) serves over 200 non-violent, drug abusing offenders each year, offering court-supervised, community-based treatment in lieu of criminal processing and incarceration. The program is 18 months in length, with group and individual therapy, educational and vocational training and assessment, as well as frequent drug testing and judicial hearings. While the program has been effective, obtaining a 48% graduation rate among a population of long-term drug abusers with criminal backgrounds, some clients need additional interventions to reach their goals. Methamphetamine is the drug of choice among this population, and newer evidence-based practices involving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be useful for this population. In addition, many of the offenders have a dual diagnosis (i.e., a psychiatric disorder as well as substance abuse problem) and need special assistance with these problems. Finally, a number of the women in the program have a history of trauma, and would benefit from integrated substance abuse and trauma-related treatments. This project will augment the usual drug treatment offered by the SATC with specialized interventions in each of these areas: a curriculum called the Matrix for amphetamine treatment; a psychiatrist to assist with clients who have a dual diagnosis; and a program entitled Seeking Safety for clients with a history of trauma. UCSB, with Merith Cosden, Ph.D. serving as the Principal Investigator, will be responsible for the evaluation of the project. The P.I. will address the questions asked by this study, including the extent to which the men and women in the program demonstrate reduction in drug and alcohol use and improvements in their mental health and trauma-related symptoms.
Sober Women/Healthy Families
Funded by SAMHSA-CSAT(PPW) to Santa Barbara County and UCSB (2008-2011)
Sober Women and Healthy Families (SWHF) is a six-month, residential program designed to provide substance abuse and trauma treatment for pregnant and parenting women and their children. The program will provide a comprehensive, culturally-competent and trauma-sensitive system of services including Seeking Safety, a cognitive behavior therapy for substance abuse and trauma-related symptoms. It will also focus on reunification of the women with their minor children and will offer treatment to their significant others for family reunification. Merith Cosden, Ph.D. is the Principal Investigator (P.I.) for the project. Questions to be addressed include: Does the intervention reduce substance abuse and trauma-related symptoms? Do the women show improvements their medical and mental health status? Do they show improvement in their competence and confidence as parents? And, are there improvements in the physical, developmental and mental health of the women’s minor children?
College Alcohol and Substance Abuse Education
Funded by the Department of Education to UCSB Student Health and the GGSE (2008-2010)
College students often engage in high levels of drinking. While many will naturally reduce their drinking as they graduate, some will not. Further, all students need help maintaining control over their drinking during college to prevent harming themselves or others. This study examines the impact of a mandated alcohol intervention for college students who violate residence hall alcohol use policies and are required to complete a five-week, harm-reduction program. Outcomes in terms of number of drinks per week, binge drinking, blackouts, and other negative consequences, and the use of harm reduction strategies are compared to those of students in a control group.