Examining utilization of Peer Recovery Support Services in a child welfare system: Characteristics associated with enrollment, treatment initiation, and successful program completion

J Subst Use Addict Treat. 2026 Oct 18:210141. doi: 10.1016/j.josat.2026.210141. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Parental substance use is a common reason families become involved with the child welfare system. Research suggests child welfare-involved parents with substance use disorders (SUDs) who successfully engage in treatment experience better case outcomes. Yet, the majority of parents with SUDs who become involved with the child welfare system do not receive treatment. Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS) – where peers with lived experience provide support for individuals recovering from substance use – are increasingly being employed in child welfare to improve parents’ engagement in substance use treatment and access to necessary resources to initiate and sustain recovery over time. However, few studies have examined the uptake and outcomes of PRSS in this context.

METHODS: We conducted an evaluation of child welfare-involved parents (N = 1884) referred to PRSS within New Jersey’s child welfare system between 2018 and 2021. Using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, we examined the relationships between participants’ demographic characteristics, primary substance used, and stage of recovery and their uptake of and outcomes in PRSS.

RESULTS: Half (50%) of parents referred to the service subsequently enrolled. Fifty-seven percent of those who enrolled at the assessment phase of recovery initiated treatment while in the service. Twenty-two percent of participants successfully completed the service. Parents who identified as female were more likely to enroll in the service compared to males (p < .001), as were those who were currently in SUD treatment (p < .001) or had already completed SUD treatment (p < .001). Participants who identified as female (p = .004), were older (p = .004), and had already completed formal treatment at enrollment (p = .044) were significantly more likely to successfully complete the service.

CONCLUSIONS: Prior research has found that PRSS may play an important role in connecting participants to treatment and providing the supports they need to sustain recovery. Study findings suggest that, among child-welfare involved families, there was variation in both uptake of PRSS and success once enrolled based on participant characteristics. Findings can be used to inform targeted outreach and engagement strategies.

PMID:42893771 | DOI:10.1016/j.josat.2026.210141