Grantees Service Project
For more information on any of these projects, please contact Maria Gagnon, Assistant Director, ATI at mgagnon@new-futures.org or 603-658-2770, ext. 108.
Program: Belknap County Adolescent Treatment Initiative
Fiscal Agent: Child & Family Services
Lead Agencies: Child & Family Services & Genesis Behavioral Health Services
Program Description:
Youth in Belknap County will benefit from a continuum of evidence-based services including screening, assessment and treatment. A strong community team has been assembled to deliver the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (ACRA), an evidence-based model of substance abuse treatment. ACRA is comprised of 10 individual treatment sessions, 2 individual caregiver sessions and 2 family sessions. ACRA focuses on rearranging environmental contingencies so that abstaining from drugs is more rewarding than using them.
Strong community partnerships are in place to effectively identify youth in need of treatment. Referral agencies will be trained in motivational interviewing techniques and will learn how to administer the CRAFFT screening tool as a means of identifying youth in need. Youth who are identified as at-promise for substance abuse will be referred to the partnering treatment agencies for a full assessment using the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN). When appropriate, youth will be referred for treatment using the ACRA model. Relationships with the Belknap County Citizen's Council, Youth Services Bureau, CoRe, local schools and probation officers have been developed to ensure appropriate screening, referral, planning and connection to other community resources and activities.
Target Numbers: 16-20 community members will be trained in motivational interviewing and screening techniques. It is anticipated that 80 youth will be screened each year with 40 completing ACRA treatment program.
Expected Outcomes: Decrease alcohol and other drug use and abuse; decrease juvenile justice involvement; increase educational functioning; improve family relations; and increase involvement in pro-social activities.
Program: Center for Adolescent Health
Fiscal Agent: Plymouth Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, a regional practice of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Lead Agencies: Plymouth Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Horizons Counseling & Familystrength
Program Description:
The Center for Adolescent Health is an integrated, flexible, interdisciplinary, regional system of care for treating adolescents with a wide range of alcohol and other drug problems. The Center for Adolescent Health seeks to establish a system of care to: identify youth who are using substances before serious impairment develops; provide youth and their families with information and motivation-enhancing interventions coordinated through their primary care office; comprehensively assess adolescent using the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN); develop and implement individualized treatment plans; track adolescents through the treatment process and return the youth to their primary care provider for ongoing monitoring and relapse prevention.
Youth will have access to two evidence-based models of treatment including the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (ACRA) and Adolescent Portable Therapy (APT) a more intensive, home-based model of family treatment. In addition, this project will strengthen the regional primary care physician's ability to screen, assess and provide brief interventions for youth at-promise of substance abuse.
Target Numbers: Nearly 700 youth will have access to this enhanced screening process through primary care visits. The Center for Adolescent Health expects to receive 75 referrals each year, with 40 youth engaging in ACRA or APT.
Expected Outcomes: Increased knowledge of where to refer youth with substance abuse problems, increase in routine screening for substance abuse; an increase in the number of treatment providers using evidence-based models; a reduction in community wide substance abuse and an enhancement in health indicators.
Program: Futurestrength
Fiscal Agent: Familystrength
Program Description:
Familystrength seeks to implement Adolescent Portable Treatment (APT), an evidence-based model developed by the Vera Institute of Justice. APT is an intensive, outpatient, family-based program for youth with substance abuse issues. The primary point of entry for youth will be through the juvenile justice system in addition to diversion programs, schools and other institutions. Youth referred to APT from a community partner will be assessed using the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN). When indicated, youth will enter APT and will be matched with one of two participating counselors. APT counselors meet with the youth and their family wherever they are – in school, in placement, at home or in a correctional facility. Counselors carry small caseloads and will work with youth and their families for a period of four to six months. Treatment may include sessions once or twice a week, regular phone check-ins and coaching sessions to support youth through difficult situations.
Familystrength has developed strong relationships with critical community partners including: adult & juvenile probation, The Coos County Coalition for Substance Abuse Prevention and the Family Resource Center. These partners will ensure appropriate referrals are made to the program and will support youth leaving treatment by introducing them to pro-social activities and support within their community.
Target Numbers: Familystrength expects 45-50 youth to complete APT each year.
Expected Outcomes: Increase in targeted protective factors; decrease in marijuana and alcohol use; decreased recidivism rate; families will receive an appointment within 3 business days; families will be engaged in treatment sessions.
Program: Youth Empowerment Services (YES)
Fiscal Agent: West Central Behavioral Health
Lead Agencies: West Central Behavioral Health, Child & Family Services, Headrest
Program Description:
Youth Empowerment Services will be available to youth and families living in Sullivan and Southern Grafton Counties. Schools, diversion programs, juvenile justice agencies and parents will be able to refer youth for comprehensive assessment using the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN). Partnering agencies will deliver Motivational Enhancement Therapy/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 5 (MET/CBT 5) to youth in need of substance abuse treatment. MET/CBT 5 is an evidence-based, 5 session treatment model. Two motivational sessions focus on identifying factors that motivate youth to change their substance using behavior. Three cognitive behavioral sessions follow to teach youth practical coping and refusal skills. An additional two parent sessions have been added to this model to support parents through their child's recovery process. Treatment is expected to last a total of twelve weeks.
Given the rural nature of Sullivan and Southern Grafton Counties, three treatment agencies are training staff in use of the GAIN and MET/CBT 5. This will allow families to locate counselors in an area close to them. Sessions will be held in locations convenient to youth and their families including school, home, recreation centers and local counseling offices. Youth needing more intensive services will be referred elsewhere by the YES counseling staff.
Target Numbers: Forty-five youth will complete MET/CBT 5 in the first year of this project. This number is expected to rise to nearly 100 in five years.
Expected Outcomes: Decrease substance use; reduction in substance related problems; increased family engagement in treatment; increased treatment completion rates.
Program: The Youth Council Business Improvement Effort
Fiscal Agent: The Youth Council
Program Description:
In this project The Youth Council will put itself under a microscope to analyze how systems can be improved to better serve their clientele and to engage new clients in valuable treatment services. Despite knowledge of high levels of adolescent substance abuse in the Nashua area, few youth engage and follow through with counseling services. The Youth Council will devote staff and board time to investigate business improvement activities through meetings, surveys, interviews and convening of stakeholders.
Staff will create four teams to look at different areas of business improvement including: welcoming & physical access; engagement of families; infrastructure improvements and education and outreach. The four teams will be comprised of a prevention counselor, therapist, management team member and a board member. This project will put The Youth Council under a microscope to analyze how systems can be improved to better serve their clientele and to engage new clients in valuable treatment services.
Target Numbers: The Youth Council received 155 substance abuse related referrals last year, yet only provided treatment services to 75 of these youth. It is anticipated that with enhance outreach and improved business processes, more referrals will lead to more youth engaged in treatment.
Expected Outcomes: Knowledge and techniques that referrals and retention of clients not only at The Youth Council but applicable to all programs.
Program: Monadnock Adolescent Treatment Initiative
Fiscal Agent: Phoenix Houses of New England
Lead Agencies: Phoenix Houses of New England, Monadnock Family Services and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene Clinic.
Program Description:
The Monadnock Adolescent Treatment Initiative (MATI) will offer an evidence-based, community centered system of outpatient care for adolescents in the Monadnock region. MATI will offer youth and their families a multi-disciplinary support team, coupled with evidence-based assessment and treatment approaches. Treatment services will be offered at geographically accessible sites such as schools, community centers and home. Youth will be screened using the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) and when appropriate, referred to counselors skilled at delivering the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (ACRA).
A strong emphasis will be placed on youth skill and strength development. Community partners such as: area schools, City of Keene Youth Services Department, the YMCA, community centers and other youth serving entities will be engaged to provide pro-social opportunities and aftercare support for youth and their families.
Target Numbers: Final target numbers still to be determined
Expected Outcomes: Increased treatment completion rate, increased number of families participating in treatment, reduction in substance use related problems and related academic and juvenile justice system interactions.
Program: Extended Hours Response Project
Fiscal Agent: Headrest, Inc.
Lead Agency: Headrest, Inc.
Program Description:
Headrest will enhance an already existing Extended Hours Response System to serve as a statewide point of contact for adolescent substance abuse information and referral services. This Extended Hours Response System will offer preliminary substance abuse screening and will make active referrals to the appropriate services regardless of their funding source. A dedicated, toll free phone line will be available for all residents in New Hampshire. Planning for this referral service is underway, with an official launch expected early in 2006.
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