The first 90 days following release from jail: findings from the Recovery Management Checkups for Women Offenders (RMCWO) experiment.

OBJECTIVES (1) To examine the impact of monthly Recovery Management Checkups (RMC) vs. control in the first 90 days post-release from jail on receipt of community-based substance abuse treatment, and (2) To explore the impact of RMC, treatment, and abstinence on HIV risk behaviors and recidivism. METHODS Of the 480 women randomized, 100% completed the intake and release interviews, and over 90% completed the 30-, 60-, and 90-day post-release interviews. Of the 915 times women assigned to RMC were interviewed (at release, 30, 69 and 90 days post release), 885 (97%) times they attended linkage meetings, 429 (47%) times they were identified as in need of substance abuse treatment, 271 (30%) times they agreed to go to treatment, 149 (16%) times they showed to the treatment intake, and 48 (5%) times they stayed in treatment at least two weeks. RESULTS During the 90 days following release from jail, women in the RMC condition (vs. control) were significantly more likely to return to treatment sooner and to participate in substance abuse treatment. Women who received any treatment were significantly more likely than those who did not to be abstinent from any alcohol or other drugs. Those who were abstinent were significantly more likely to avoid HIV risk behaviors and recidivism. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate the feasibility of conducting monthly Recovery Management Checkups with women offenders post-release and provide support for the effectiveness of using RMC to successfully link women offenders to treatment.