Preliminary results from Brazil's first recovery housing program.

INTRODUCTION: The recovery housing (RH) program was initiated in São Paulo with the objective of providing treatment for substance use disorders and addressing users' housing and employment problems. The purpose of this study was to describe the model based on its first 11 months of operation, it was launched in June 2016 in Brazil. METHOD: We carried out a retrospective analysis of the records of all subjects treated in the RH of the Restart Program (Programa Recomeço) since its creation, from June 2016 to May 2017. RESULTS: Sixty-nine subjects were included. Thirty-five (51%) remained in the household until the end of treatment or were reinserted in society. Thirty-four (49%) presented recurrence during their stay, of which 16 (47%) volunteered for treatment in a therapeutic community or psychiatric hospital, 8 (23.5%) chose to continue with outpatient treatment only, 6 (17.7%) returned to their families and continued to receive outpatient treatment, and 4 (11.8%) discontinued the treatment. Of the 35 subjects who completed the RH program, 28 (80%) were in employment and 7 (20%) received governmental support for permanent disability on medical or psychiatric grounds. CONCLUSION: RH can be an important component of integrated care and is used in several countries. Although controversial, the use of urine tests to control relapse seems to have a positive impact on adherence to treatment and maintenance of abstinence. These preliminary findings corroborate, with clear limitations, the evidence available in the literature showing that RH programs are effective for the treatment of addictions.

Preliminary results from Brazil's first recovery housing program / Dados preliminares do primeiro programa de moradia monitorada no Brasil

Abstract Introduction: The recovery housing (RH) program was initiated in São Paulo with the objective of providing treatment for substance use disorders and addressing users' housing and employment problems. The purpose of this study was to describe the model based on its first 11 months of operation, it was launched in June 2016 in Brazil. Method: We carried out a retrospective analysis of the records of all subjects treated in the RH of the Restart Program (Programa Recomeço) since its creation, from June 2016 to May 2017. Results: Sixty-nine subjects were included. Thirty-five (51%) remained in the household until the end of treatment or were reinserted in society. Thirty-four (49%) presented recurrence during their stay, of which 16 (47%) volunteered for treatment in a therapeutic community or psychiatric hospital, 8 (23.5%) chose to continue with outpatient treatment only, 6 (17.7%) returned to their families and continued to receive outpatient treatment, and 4 (11.8%) discontinued the treatment. Of the 35 subjects who completed the RH program, 28 (80%) were in employment and 7 (20%) received governmental support for permanent disability on medical or psychiatric grounds. Conclusion: RH can be an important component of integrated care and is used in several countries. Although controversial, the use of urine tests to control relapse seems to have a positive impact on adherence to treatment and maintenance of abstinence. These preliminary findings corroborate, with clear limitations, the evidence available in the literature showing that RH programs are effective for the treatment of addictions.

Resumo Introdução: O Programa Moradia Monitorada (MM) foi iniciado em São Paulo com o objetivo de prover tratamento para transotrnos de uso de substâncias e problemas relacionados a moradia e emprego. O objetivo do presente estudo foi descrever o modelo com base nos primeiros 11 meses de operação (o programa foi lançado em junho de 2016 no Brasil). Métodos: Realizamos um estudo retrospectivo utilizando os registros de todos os indivíduos tratados no MM do Programa Recomeço desde a sua criação. Resultados: Sessenta e nove indivíduos foram incluídos. Trinta e cinco (51%) permaneceram no tratamento até o fim ou foram reinseridos socialmente com sucesso. Trinta e quatro sujeitos (49%) apresentaram recidiva durante a permanência. Destes, 16 (47%) se voluntariaram para tratamento em comunidades terapêuticas ou hospitais psiquiátricos, 8 (23,5%) escolheram permanecer apenas no tratamento ambulatorial, 6 (17.7%) retornaram para suas famílias e continuaram o tratamento em uma unidade ambulatorial próxima ao domicílio, e 4 (11.8%) descontinuaram o tratamento. Dos 35 pacientes que completaram o tratamento, 28 (80%) estavam empregados em serviço regular e 7 (20%) recebiam aposentadoria por questões clínicas e/ou psiquiátricas. Conclusão: O modelo MM pode ser um componente importante na via de cuidados integrados e é utilizado em vários países. Apesar de controverso, o uso de análise de urina para vigilância da recidiva e da recorrência parece ter um impacto positivo na adesão ao tratamento e na manutenção da abstinência. Nossos achados preliminares corroboram, com claras limitações, os resultados reportados previamente na literatura, de que os programas de MM são efetivos no tratamento da dependência química.

An evaluation of a collaborative course for child and adolescent mental health professionals.

There is a considerable gap between the offer and the demand for mental health treatment of children and adolescents, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Permanent education in these countries is a promising and needed strategy to reduce this gap. This study was designed to evaluate the perceived impact of an educational intervention for child and adolescent mental health professionals in Brazil, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Specialization Course (CESMIA). The intervention consisted of a 360-hour interprofessional postgraduation course. The CESMIA offered lectures and small-group case discussions for exchanging their experiences in dealing with the patients. The students were placed in these groups according to their professions in order to ensure a proportional distribution of healthcare professionals in each group. The evaluation employed a quasi-experimental design by the use of a knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) survey. The 39 participants reported significant improvement in all KAP dimensions. More specifically, the data indicated a 17% improvement for attitudes, a 9.4% increase for knowledge, and a 14% improvement for the practice dimensions. The CESMIA appeared to improve the level of knowledge of participants and their attitudes and actions towards patients, which reinforces the relevance of similar courses.

A four-year follow-up controlled study of stress response and symptom persistence in Brazilian children and adolescents with attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity (ADHD).

This study evaluated children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Disorder andHyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), reassessing them at a four-year follow-up. Their cortisol response to a stress stimulus was measured twice. ADHD symptom persistence, development of comorbidities, and psychostimulant usage were also reassessed. The initial sample consisted of 38 ADHD patients and 38 healthy controls, age ranging 6-14. At the follow-up, there were 37 ADHD patients and 22 healthy controls, age ranging 10-18. ADHD was classified as persistent if the patients fulfilled all DSM IV criteria for syndromic or subthreshold or had functional impairment. Salivary cortisol samples were collected prior to the application of a cognitive stressor (Continuous Performance Test - CPT), and at three time intervals afterwards at baseline and at the follow-up. Their reassessment showed that 75% had persistent symptoms, psychiatric comorbidities (oppositional defiant and behavioral disorders), functional and academic impairement. Only seven patients were on medication. The ADHD group's cortisol levels were lower than those measured four years earlier, but cortisol concentrations were similar for both ADHD and control groups at the four-year follow-up. The cortisol results suggest that HPA axis reactivity could be a marker differentiating ADHD from ADHD with comorbidities.