regularly checking

Before beginning treatment, practitioners are required to address treatment goals. Goals can be specific or broad and range from cessation of substance abuse and regularly checking in with authorities to compliance with medication requirements and avoiding specific locations and environments. Goals are usually developed in collaboration, with input from legal authorities, mental health professionals, and patients. Patient and community safety need to be taken into consideration as well. Goals for treatment are referred to as “outcomes.” Outcomes need to be considered during treatment, during review of professional literature, and when evaluating the efficacy of treatments.

The three treatment outcome models are recidivism, relapse, and harm-reduction. Each type of outcome exists independently of the others. For example, a person may be considered a treatment success in the harm-reduction model even though he or she has had a relapse and has returned to the criminal justice system. Determining the success of treatment depends on the goals and desired treatment outcomes agreed upon at the onset of practice. Additionally, in professional literature, treatment outcomes often are indirectly defined. To comprehend the research in your field and to be an effective practitioner, it is essential to understand treatment outcome models and discern how these models are used.

To prepare for this Assignment:

• Review the course document, Treatment Outcome Models. Focus on the similarities and differences among the three treatment outcome models in terms of relevance in defining treatment success and/or failure with specific forensic populations, challenges in application, and advantages of using each model.

The Assignment (2–3 pages):

• Briefly explain each of the three treatment outcome models: recidivism, relapse, and harm-reduction.
• Contrast the three treatment outcome models in terms of relevance in defining treatment success and/or failure with specific forensic populations, challenges in application, and advantages of each model.
• Explain at least one conclusion you drew or insight you gained as a result of your comparison.

Support your Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources not included in the resources for this course.