Multidimensional Family Recovery (MDFR), formerly known as the Engaging Moms Program, is a home-and community-based family intervention that addresses parental substance misuse and child maltreatment. MDFR helps parents involved in the child welfare system achieve and sustain sobriety, provide a safe and healthy family environment for their children, comply with child welfare or court requirements, and prevent further child welfare involvement.
It has been rated highly by the
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC) in 3 topic areas:
Family Stabilization Programs, Motivational and Engagement Programs, and Reunification Programs.
MDFR is the only program reviewed by CEBC to receive high ratings in all 3 topic areas.
What People Are Saying
“I was going to lose my kids—all of them. It was hard. We were living in a hotel, I was using cocaine, the kids missed a lot of school. I just got kicked out of treatment. Everybody was coming down on me. DCF told me they were going to take my kids. Then these women came in. They listened to me. I could tell right away that they were, you know, different. They sat me down and said we are going to help you. They convinced the Judge and DCF, I don’t know how they did it, to give me another chance. They believed in me. I got back into treatment and I’m doing good there. They helped me get my kids back in school. And now DCF says I’m doing great. If they weren’t in my life I would have lost my kids, no doubt.”
— MDFR Parent from Miami
“I don’t want to be no statistic. I’m 25, I’m black, I have 3 kids, I’m a high school dropout. People look at me and see a statistic. But I’m not—not really. That’s what people think when they see me. But not this program. No. They see me as a human being. They agree that I don’t have to be no statistic. They said, “ Girl you are right. Let’s show them who you are.” They listen to me. I mean they really listen and understand. And they believe in me. And now look at me. I’m in a GED program, I have a job, I’m learning how to be a better parent, I get along better with my family.”
— MDFR Parent from Miami
“MDFR is a program I truly believe in. By working in the program I’ve witnessed a change in the families. We provide total support to the parent. And by meeting with the family as well as the parent, we can improve their relationships and help the family be more helpful to each other.”
— Stacy Oliver, MDFR National Trainer
“I’ve been doing MDFR for about 2 years now, and I’ve been able to see first-hand how this program works. What is really exceptional about this program is the family piece. The other component that is really distinctive about this program is the training. It helped me tremendously in helping the families. It’s been amazing.”
— Carol Ann Donahue, MDFR Specialist, CHR Connecticut
The Goals of MDFR are to:
Help parents enroll into, remain in, and benefit from substance use or mental health treatments
Promote emotional attachment and bonding between parents and their children
Improve basic child safety knowledge and practices (e.g. safe sleeping, safe storage of medications, water safety)
Improve parenting skills
Improve parents coping and emotional regulation skills
Improve parent and family communication, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills
Increase family emotional and practical assistance to support parent sobriety and parenting
Facilitate access to developmental, educational, and health care services for the children
Facilitate parent access to health, family planning, vocational/educational, financial and other needed services
Help parents comply with child welfare/court requirements
Prevent further involvement in the child welfare system
“Out of 20 programs reviewed, only 3 were found to effectively prevent or reduce child maltreatment. MDFR was one of those 3 programs.”
— Euser, Alink, Stoltenborgh, Bakermans-Kranenburg, & Uzendoom (2015). A gloomy picture: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials reveals disappointing effectiveness of programs aiming at preventing child maltreatment, BMC Public Health
MDFR in Randomized Clinical Trials
Sources
Dakof, G. A., Quille, T. J., Tejeda, M. J., Alberga, L. R., Bandstra, Szapocznik, J. (2003). Enrolling and retaining mothers of substance exposed infants in drug abuse treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71(4), 764-772.
Dakof, G. A., Cohen, J. B., & Duarte, E. (2009). Increasing family reunification for substance-abusing mothers and their children: Comparing two drug court interventions in Miami. Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 60(4), 11-23.
Dakof, G. A., Cohen, J. B., Henderson, C. E., Duarte, E., Boustani, M., Blackburn, A.,… Hawes, S. (2010). A randomized pilot study of the Engaging Moms Program for family drug court. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 38, 263-274.
Cohen, J. B., Dakof, G. A., & Duarte, E. (2011). Dependency drug court: An intensive intervention for traumatized mothers and young children. In J. D. Osofsky (Ed.) Clinical Work with Traumatized Young Children (pp. 252-268). New York: The Guilford Press.
