Substance Abuse Exposure Among Youth Being Raised by Grandparents in Rural Communities: Findings from a Three-Year Evaluation

This research describes the experiences of grandparents and other relatives living in rural Maine raising children affected by substance abuse. Stories and practice strategies are presented in the context of program evaluation findings from a three-year data collection effort consisting of survey protocols administered to caregivers and professionals receiving project services and semistructured interviews conducted with relative caregivers. Caregivers who participated in the research effort are satisfied with the services they receive when they are delivered in a manner that is respectful of their individual needs and rural traditions and when services extend beyond information and referral. Results of the evaluation contribute to the tenets of the promising practice of low-barrier service provision and the positive effect that support, both tangible and emotional, has on the well-being of rural kinship families. The use of innovative technologies and approaches in service provision not only increases awareness of resources among caregivers and professionals but also leads to the application of such knowledge to both more effective and seamless access to services and minimization of service utilization barriers for rural families. Results also underscore that research, when configured in a way that is flexible and meaningful, creates a valuable opportunity to gain insight from a traditionally difficult to reach population.