Opioid use in indigenous populations: indigenous perspectives and directions in culturally responsive care.

In this work, we outline the necessary components for culturally responsive treatment to opioid use disorders in Indigenous communities. First, we examine the context of historical trauma faced by Indigenous groups in the U.S. and how this context may affect successful implementation of treatment. We then outline the strategies of Penobscot Nation and Little Earth in developing holistic treatment regimens for Indigenous peoples, and list policy interventions suited to improve outcomes for Indigenous groups related to opioid use disorders. We conclude with suggestions for future directions in anticolonial strategies for addressing opioid use in Indigenous communities. The combination of culturally responsive treatment, tribal sovereignty in the treatment of opioid use disorders, and effective resource allocation is necessary to affect positive change in Indigenous substance use trajectories.

Mixed Signals: The Effect of Employment Training on Employment Outcomes for Previously Incarcerated Individuals.

This work investigates the effects of pre-employment training on employment outcomes for previously incarcerated individuals using two theories developed in the discipline of economics: human capital theory and signaling theory. Human capital theory suggests that preemployment training increases wages and the likelihood of employment by building relevant skills that would improve productivity. Signaling theory asserts that the completion of pre-employment training acts as a signal of participant ability, as ability is known to the applicant but unknown to employers. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, results support hypotheses related to signaling theory for individuals without a history of incarceration, but show no meaningful relationship between pre-employment training and employment outcomes for previously incarcerated individuals. Findings contribute to both economic and criminal justice theory and can be used to inform employment interventions for those with or without a history of incarceration.

Culturally tailored substance use interventions for Indigenous people of North America: a systematic review.

Purpose­: The purpose of the current study is to conduct a systematic review of peer-reviewed work on culturally tailored interventions for alcohol and drug use in Indigenous adults in North America. Substance use has been reported as a health concern for many Indigenous communities. Indigenous groups experienced the highest drug overdose death rates in 2015, the largest percentage increase in the number of deaths over time from 1999 to 2015 compared to any other racial group. However, few Indigenous individuals report participating in treatment for alcohol or drug use, which may reflect the limited engagement that Indigenous groups have with treatment options that are accessible, effective and culturally integrative. Design/methodology/approach­: Electronic searches were conducted from 2000 to April 21, 2021, using PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, MEDLINE and PubMed. Two reviewers classified abstracts for study inclusion, resulting in 18 studies. Findings­: Most studies were conducted in the USA (89%). Interventions were largely implemented in Tribal/rural settings (61%), with a minority implemented in both Tribal and urban contexts (11%). Study samples ranged from 4 to 742 clients. Interventions were most often conducted in residential treatment settings (39%). Only one (6%) intervention focused on opioid use among Indigenous people. Most interventions addressed the use of both drugs and alcohol (72%), with only three (17%) interventions specifically intended to reduce alcohol use. Originality/value­: The results of this research lend insight into the characteristics of culturally integrative treatment options for Indigenous groups and highlight the need for increased investment in research related to culturally tailored treatment across the diverse landscape of Indigenous populations.

The Connections of Parole and Probation Agent Communication Patterns With Female Offenders' Job-Seeking Self-Efficacy.

Using subsamples of 130 and 96 women on probation and parole, this research explores the direct effect of the supervising agent's communication patterns on client job-seeking self-efficacy. It also tests for the mediating effect through client psychological reactance, which is a feeling that one's freedoms are threatened. Agent and client reports of a conformity pattern of communication were associated with lower levels of job-seeking self-efficacy. Client reactance mediated this relationship. Agent and client reports of a conversational pattern of communication were associated with increased job-seeking self-efficacy. The results suggest that conformity-oriented communication should be avoided because of its potential to increase reactance and to promote low job-seeking self-efficacy. In contrast, conversational communication appears to have more positive effects on job-seeking self-efficacy. Findings highlight communication as a pathway through which agents can improve behavioral outcomes for women offenders searching for work.