Empowering Women Through the WORTH Paths Study: A New Digital Approach to Health and Recovery
- Jaime P. Morales
- Oct 28
- 3 min read
Women who have been involved in the criminal legal system often face serious health challenges that go beyond the surface. They are more likely to experience substance use disorders and unintended pregnancies, yet they frequently encounter barriers when trying to access treatment and reproductive health services.
The WORTH Paths Research Study aims to break those barriers. This innovative program is testing a new digital health intervention designed to help women aged 18–44 who have a history of substance use and involvement in the criminal legal system. The goal is simple but powerful: to help women reduce drug use, improve contraceptive use, and connect with essential health care services in a safe, virtual environment.
What Is the WORTH Paths Study?
WORTH Paths stands for Women on the Road to Health: Promoting Access to Treatment, Health, and Support. The program builds on Women on the Road to Health (WORTH) — an evidence-based intervention developed at Columbia University School of Social Work and recognized by the CDC as a Best Practice for HIV prevention.
While the original WORTH program helped women lower HIV risk by increasing condom use, WORTH Paths takes that foundation even further. It focuses on reducing drug use, improving contraceptive access, and supporting women in navigating healthcare systems — areas that have long been overlooked for justice-involved women.
This study will include 50 women to test how feasible, acceptable, and effective this digital approach can be.
How the Study Works
Participants are randomly placed into one of two groups:
The WORTH Paths Intervention Group
Attends three virtual group sessions led by trained facilitators
Completes digital learning activities on reducing drug use and improving contraceptive use
Builds practical skills to navigate healthcare, set personal goals, and cope with stress or triggers
Receives education about different contraceptive options, including long-acting reversible methods
The Control (Wellness) Group
Attends three virtual wellness sessions that cover general health, mindfulness, and stress management
Receives education and resources about substance use and reproductive health, but without the specialized skill-building content of the intervention group
Both groups will receive information and referrals to substance use treatment and reproductive health services.
What Researchers Hope to Learn
Researchers will measure whether the digital program is feasible (how many women complete it) and acceptable (how easy and helpful participants find it). They’ll also track key health outcomes, including:
Changes in drug use, confirmed through urine samples
Increased contraceptive use and consistency
Engagement with substance use treatment, such as attending appointments
These findings will help determine whether WORTH Paths could be scaled up to reach more women nationwide.
Why This Study Matters
Many women in the criminal legal system face overlapping challenges — limited access to care, trauma, stigma, and lack of social support. Healthcare services are often fragmented, leaving women to navigate substance use treatment and reproductive health separately.
WORTH Paths bridges that gap. By combining behavioral health strategies with reproductive education and digital accessibility, the program creates a supportive space where women can learn, connect, and take control of their health.
This study represents a major step forward in equitable healthcare — offering a model that meets women where they are and empowers them to build healthier futures.
Who Can Join?
You may be eligible if you:
Identify as a woman aged 18–44
Have had criminal legal involvement within the past year
Have a current substance use disorder
Have had an unmet need for contraception in the past 30 days
Live in the New York metropolitan area (NY, NJ, or CT)
Want to Learn More?
Participation includes online surveys and brief follow-ups over three months. All participants receive helpful resources for substance use treatment and sexual and reproductive health services.
Only 50 spots are available — don’t wait!Join the WORTH Paths Study and be part of research that’s changing how women’s health is supported.
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