Since its inception in 1990, IHR has been a national leader in designing and implementing progressive models of health care, alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention, treatment and recovery for women and families. Cited as an exemplary program by the United States Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, as well as by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, IHR has actively worked to enhance the responsiveness and comprehensiveness of service delivery systems. IHR designs its services based on an understanding of the impact of trauma.

IHR develops program models that effectively serve homeless families, families involved with child welfare, pregnant and parenting people, and youth and young adults.

IHR clients residing in homeless shelters with their families have shown: a decrease in substance use and a decrease in trauma symptoms after six months of working with IHR staff. Clients also report improved parent–child relationships. Our programs demonstrate that recovery is within reach when clients can make positive, trusting relationships with their clinicians and case managers.

IHR is a national leader in promoting:

• Integration of child welfare, co-occurring disorders and trauma.
• Relational-cultural model of development and its application to health care, substance use/co-occurring disorders treatment and recovery programs for women and families.
• Family-based approaches to substance use disorder prevention and treatment planning.

• Building and maintaining collaborative service delivery models.
• Inclusion of tobacco cessation and nicotine addiction treatment within substance use disorder treatment programs.
• Integrated approaches to treatment for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

• Trauma-informed service delivery systems.