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Show --mmwmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I I I i ilm i I mmmmmmmmwmm il I p A f Lace we w Hospital :- Step One program for : adolescent addictions The Step One program for adolescents is Lakeview Hospital's inpatientoutpatient program designed to treat adolescent addictions and compulsive behaviors. The program includes specialized treatment tracts for dual diagnosis patients, those patients who have primary or underlying psychiatric problems combined with addictive behaviors. The adolescents participate in a treatment process that includes group therapy, individual therapy, psychoeducational lectures and materials, 12-step work (based on the Alcoholics Anonymous program), recreational therapy and family therapy. Under the guidance of Lila Jameson, Step One adolescent ado-lescent coordinator, employees Susan Kolar, aftercare coordinator, and Randy Moss, assistant coordinator, completed a survey of patients treated from January 1988 to December 1990. More than 80 percent of the 81 confidential questionnaires sent were returned regardless of that patient's status in Step One's aftercare after-care program. Jameson indicated that the purpose of study was three-fold: 1) to evaluate the personal development of former inpatients since their discharge from treatment, treat-ment, 2) to determine from the patient's perspective the areas of treatment most beneficial to them, and 3) to identify characteristics such as AANA attendance, involvement in Aftercare, improved family communication, com-munication, etc., that differentiate patients who have relapsed from those who have not. Chris Hunsicker, adolescent case manager, compiled compil-ed the statistics from the study. He stated, "The preliminary results indicate that the Step One program is significantly more influential with helping adolescents ado-lescents maintain sobriety one to two years after in itial treatment. Although national averages are not available for comparison, the generally accepted percentage of sobriety after this time period is 40 percent." per-cent." The results of this study indicate that sobriety percentages are higher at Lakeview Hospital's Step One program and as stated by Hunsicker, ' 'Significantly more patients get better than do not. ' ' When asked why the Step One program was so successful, the adolescent staff consensus attributed this program's success to three major factors, "The first factor is our length of stay. Patients normally stay for a 10-week program that can accomplish more than the usual four- to six-week stays of other programs. "Secondly, ours is a holistic approach to treatment Thirdly, treatment includes the whole family of the addicted, as well as the addict himherself. This pro- vides a more realistic environment for the adolescent , to return home to, because the family has to get in- , volved and knows the challenges the patient is and , will be facing." ; Hunsicker added, "Step One's two-year aftercare program is especially strong. Aftercare, facilitated by Kolar, for the adolescents provides strong personal follow-up and peer group positive influences to the adolescents who have undergone treatment. The patients build a strong sense of community in their initial in-itial treatment and just keep building on that throughout aftercare treatment. It helps to keep them 'honest' with themselves and sober." Lakeview Hospital's Step One program is available 24 hours per day. By dialing 299-7837, anyone can receive immediate help or counsel. |