The study, which looked at a nationally representative sample of 2,728 single mothers from the 1994 and 1995 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, determined that substance-abuse and mental-health treatment services are needed in order to help single mothers get jobs and keep jobs and fulfill their family roles.

According to the study, 21 percent of single mothers who received public assistance had used some form of illicit drug, and 19 percent met the accepted definitions of having a psychiatric disorder in the year prior to the survey.

The study was the first of its kind to have actual data on the extent of substance-abuse and mental-health problems among single mothers in the welfare population before Congress passed welfare reform. It was conducted by Rukmalie Jayakody, Ph.D., assistant professor of human development and family studies at Pennsylvania State University; and Sheldon Danziger, Ph.D., professor of social work and public policy, and Harold Pollack, Ph.D., assistant professor of health management and policy in the University of Michigan's School of Public Health.

"This study provides the first clear picture of some of the behavioral and mental-health problems faced by welfare mothers before welfare reform," Jayakody said. "Since then, the states have moved many job-ready mothers from welfare to work. If we are to continue the progress, we need to focus more on the skill deficits, and personal and family concerns facing those still left on welfare, as many of them are not easily employable because of substance abuse and mental health challenges."

The study is published in the August issue of the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.

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