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By Elinor Nelson
A residential program specifically designed to treat adolescent
males with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders
is opening in Massachusetts.
Gearing up to accept its first patients for the new Integrated
Treatment Unit is Devereux Massachusetts in Rutland, a not-for-profit
organization established in 1965 to aid children and adolescents
with special emotional and behavioral needs.
Devereux Massachusetts' Assistant Executive Director Stuart Fisher,
Ph.D., says this program is different from others because all of
its staff members will be trained in both mental health and substance
abuse treatment. A "big part of the process," he says, will be ongoing
staff training. "Other programs may be capable of treating both,
but they're not designed to," Fisher says.
The program will be housed in a new building and will hold 18 beds.
Fisher foresees a median length of stay of about 15 months. The
new program will treat males ages 13 to 17, although in other programs,
Devereux Massachusetts treats males and females ages six through
21. The Integrated Treatment Unit includes a structured therapeutic
milieu, clinical services, medication management, therapeutic recreation
and aftercare planning.
Why treat only boys? "We made a decision … The housing is in one
facility, and many of the boys have sexual problems. It's not safe
to house males and females in the same unit," Fisher explains.
Many of the boys are expected to have learning disabilities and
to read below grade level. Devereux can't provide the range of subjects
offered by a large public school; however, it plans to offer individualized
educational programs for each student and to emphasize reading skills.
Public school systems or the Department of Social Services will
likely pay the expenses. "For these kids, many other types of treatment
have been tried and not been as successful as they might be," Fisher
says.
Linda Hutton, Psy.D, the newly hired director of the Integrated
Treatment Unit, advocates a non-confrontational approach, along
with "motivational interviewing" of patients. Fisher also anticipates
"the establishment of a collaborative relationship with clients
and families."
"We want to increase their motivation for change, using the stages
of change approach," Hutton says. She lists the stages of pre-contemplation,
contemplation, planning, action and maintenance and suggests that
each of these "stages of change," has an associated treatment.
Devereux will offer individual, group and family therapy, along
with psychoeducational programs for parents and guardians, teaching
them ways to be more helpful in managing their children's disorders.
The adolescents will receive training in social skills, anger management
and positive ways to express feelings.
"We will offer a therapeutic milieu that will provide structure
and a set of positive and negative consequences that support positive
behavior and teach skills," says Fisher. These boys will "learn
how to live with others," adds Hutton. "They will be responsible
group members."
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