The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) conducted a study and determined that approximately one-third to two-thirds of child neglect cases had some form of substance abuse related to the case. Further, it is reported that women who use alcohol or drugs are two times more likely to lose custody of their children than non- using mothers. The purpose of this study is to examine which treatment modalities substance use counselors find most effective when treating women with children. This study utilized a qualitative design asking eight open ended questions to fourteen substance use counselors employed at Prototypes in Pomona, CA. The substance use counselors were asked questions regarding what treatments they offered at their facility, what they believed the most effective treatment modalities are when treating women with children, and what barriers they faced when treating women with children. Findings from this study found the holistic and client centered approaches to be the most effective treatment modalities when treating women with children. The holistic approach considers every aspect of the client’s life and the client centered approach allows the counselors to develop care plans that are specific to their client’s unique needs. Social workers should strive to keep women with their children while they are in treatment. Further research is needed to gain a better understanding of this population and to provide appropriate treatment, services, and resources to women and their children.

This research attempted to evaluate the pay-gap between women with children and women without children. Previous literature consistently concludes women with children will have lower incomes than women without children. The income determination model is composed of individual, structural, and gender segments and is used to examine the pay-gap between these two groups. The 2004 American Time Use Survey dataset is used to analyze the hypothesis that women with children will have a lower income than women without children. Results in this research contradict previous research. OLS Regression revealed women with children have a higher income than women without children. However, further analysis showed women without children have higher economic return for their age and occupational prestige than do women with children. The structural segment in the income determination model explained the disparity more than the other two segments. Policy implications are discussed. / Thesis (M.A.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Sociology.