Youth Drug Treatment Programme Unveiled
The opening of an Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Programme [AIOP] was announced at a joint press conference at HSBC in Hamilton today [Nov. 15], by Caron Bermuda, Bermuda Youth Counseling Services [BYCS], Minister of Youth, Families & Sports Glenn Blakeney and bank CEO Philip Butterfield.
Mr. Blakeney said, “I am very pleased with the development of the Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Programme. The partnership between the Bermuda Youth Counseling Services, Caron Bermuda and HSBC opens up opportunities for remarkable and rewarding advances in meeting the needs of our youth and families. This partnership has brought people together around mutually held ideas, principles, and goals to reach a common purpose.”
Caron Bermuda, a not-for-profit alcohol and substance abuse treatment facility, and Bermuda Youth Counseling Services have developed the AIOP under the auspices of the Department of Child and Family Services as unique public/private collaboration.
Mr. Butterfield stated, “Indeed it has become increasingly evident that collaborative and supportive alliances are a necessary and appropriate response to the issues that we are facing.
“In 2010, HSBC partnered with Caron Bermuda to provide support over three years for a pilot initiative to demonstrate how the community is coming together to fill a necessary gap for an under served population. HSBC expects the results of this intensive outpatient programme to contribute to the development of youth as healthy citizens who are free from violence, substance abuse and other negative influences.”
The AIOP offers a customised, therapeutic response to the growing and critical need for intensive substance abuse treatment for adolescents and young adults aged 13-21 in Bermuda.
HSBC has been the lead sponsor for the Adolescent and Family Group Programmes provided at the Caron Bermuda facility in Smith’s Parish.
“HSBC and other compassionate donors understand the high risk issues that are facing our young people, and are committed to supporting a systemic approach to drug abuse and addiction,” stated Gita Blakeney Saltus, regional vice-president for Caron Bermuda. “The new AIOP programme is a more intensive and comprehensive alternative to services currently being provided and we are thankful for the investments that we receive to ensure the sustainability of our programmes.”
The individualised 10-12 week programmes can accommodate approximately 20 clients per cycle, and will be facilitated at Caron Bermuda, with Family Groups at BYCS. An earlier collaboration, The Student Assistance Programme, developed by Caron Bermuda with PRIDE Bermuda is an ongoing community prevention programme for youth.
The new intensive outpatient treatment programme will provide a daily continuum of care within a primary, structured schedule that emphasises group therapy and family involvement.
It is designed specifically for students who have been displaced from their schools because of substance use, abuse or addiction issues.
These students will be referred to the AIOP by the Bermuda Youth Community Services, schools, other referent agencies, and receive treatment at no cost to their families.
The AIOP will facilitate connection between adolescent clients and their schools as well as a seamless transition back to school following treatment.
Caron Bermuda and BYCS will also work with the Ministry of Education and other relevant agencies to offer customised treatment for youth that is specific to their challenges.
The standards and best practices of Caron Bermuda, BYCS and Caron US Treatment Centers have set parameters for a high level of treatment for adolescents in Bermuda.
The BYCS and Caron Bermuda counsellors recently travelled to the Caron facility in Wernersville, Pennsylvania for a four-day advanced adolescent and family programme training.
The need for a specific Bermudian AIOP programme has been underscored by statistics like these from a 2010 report from the Department for National Drug Control, Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation:
Bermudian students recorded the highest lifetime prevalence-of-use rates for alcohol (66.9 percent); marijuana (23 percent); cigarettes (21.9 percent) and inhalants (10.8 percent). Students reported the highest current use of alcohol (37.5 percent) and marijuana (12.8 percent). Some 12 percent report using an illegal drug other than marijuana in their lifetime.
The new AIOP at Caron Bermuda will include group counselling services; adolescent orientation and evaluations. The programme’s goal is not only to help participants achieve long term sobriety, but to build vital life skills in healthy behavior and decision-making.
Caron Bermuda is a not-for-profit Bermuda subsidiary of Caron Treatment Centers.
In addition to chairman Michael W. Collins, Caron Bermuda’s Board of Directors also includes: Lori Baker-Lloyd, Ian Bridges, Linda Cox, Shalanda Durrant- Thomas, G. Rees Fletcher, Rory Gorman, Theresa Hall, Gordon Johnson, Michael Keats, Brenda Lehmann, Sharon McGinley, Michael McGlinn, Michael Schrum, Wayne Smith, and Douglas Tieman.
So happy to know about this. It is much needed! I wish it much success.
Glad to see this program. Even happier to know that the families will be involved. So much of teen use/abuse can be related back to parental attitudes and behaviours. Addiction is a family issue and the user will struggle to remain sober if the family does not also make changes.