Drug & Alcohol Treatment Program is for adolescents diagnosed with substance use disorders. Many of the children who suffer from mental health disorders also have a diagnosed substance related disorder or a significant level of substance use that negatively impacts their mental health disorders. Our history has demonstrated that approximately 85% of the children referred to us meet the criteria for a chemical abuse or dependence diagnosis.

The curriculum integrates the DBT skills into the treatment.One of the essential underpinnings of the model of treatment is that learning new skills requires extensive practice in a variety of settings and that the skills need to be generalized into the clients “real life arenas.”

Treatment also includes, but is not limited to:

• The short and long term emotional and physical effects of drug and alcohol (including tobacco) use;
• Addiction cycle
• Urge surfing
• Relapse prevention and planning;
• Alternative coping strategies and lifestyles;
• The power of belief;
• Interaction between mental health symptoms and use of substances;
• Abuses and dangers of over-the-counter and prescription medications;
• HIV, TB, Hepatitis education and resources assessment and treatment;
• The intergenerational impact of substance use on the family (past, present and future);
• Relationship between the gang and drug culture;
• The long and short dangers of substance use or abuse during pregnancy and impact on the fetus;
• Developing effective stress management and coping strategies to prevent substance abuse; and
• Self-help resources available in the community to address substance abuse and dependency issues, e.g. 12-step programs for both, alcohol, drugs and co-occurring disorders, etc.