Ten Questions to Ask When Choosing an Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program

1. Does the program specialize in substance abuse treatment? Research tells us that adolescents with substance abuse issues should receive treatment that is specifically designed for substance abuse issues. All of SunHawk's adolescents have substance abuse issues and all of SunHawk's activities, groups, therapy, and education are related to the 12 steps and recovery from substance abuse. Based on their common experiences, our adolescents form a positive peer community in which they support one another while holding each other accountable. Every aspect of the program is focused on recovery; adolescents leave the program having learned how to live life in recovery and prevent relapse.



2. What kind of interventions do you offer? Research tells us that programs that deal with total life circumstances are likely to produce more lasting benefits. SunHawk takes a real-life approach to treatment, offering service work, recreational activities, family work, individual therapy, substance abuse counseling, medication management, group counseling, academics, and AA and NA. This concrete experience helps adolescents practice sobriety in the same settings they will experience at home, as well as allowing them to learn how to have fun while sober.



3. How many AA/NA meetings do adolescents attend each week? Of those how many are in the community? SunHawk adolescents attend at least seven AA/NA meetings per week, at least two of which are in the community after reaching a higher level. This exposure to AA/NA provides a foundation for continuing recovery, making teens feel comfortable attending meetings at home and reminding them of their SunHawk roots and commitments.



4. What substance abuse training does the staff have? Every SunHawk staff member has received substance abuse training which helps tie every activity to sobriety and the 12 steps, encouraging our adolescents to stay focused on recovery. In addition to extensive training, about half of our staff are in recovery themselves, providing a rich environment of experience and understanding. Our adolescents always have someone to talk to who can provide direction, accountability, and comfort, allowing them to build deep and meaningful relationships in a new world of recovery.



5. Does the program use the 12 steps? SunHawk is a 12 Step-based program. Although our adolescents actively work all 12 Steps, they complete intensive work on the first five steps which focus on personal accountability and developing a commitment to sobriety. The remaining seven steps, which focus on family and community, are most appropriately completed after leaving SunHawk. We stop at the 5th Step to communicate to our adolescents and their families that their work continues after leaving SunHawk. Adolescents leave with the 12 Steps as part of their past, present, and future recovery.



6. What is the focus of groups in the program? We provide 30 hours of group work per week, all of which are focused on recovery and substance abuse. Our adolescents are greatly influenced by peers and group work allows them to be appropriately challenged and supported by peers. New adolescents can't fake their way through treatment because their peers know this behavior and point it out. At the same time, established adolescents internalize growth as they see their old, dysfunctional behaviors in newly arriving adolescents.



7. If my child completes the program and relapses after returning home, can he/she return at a discounted rate? We stand behind our work and our families. After successful completion of the program, a family that follows the continued care recommendations and experiences a relapse may return for 45 days tuition free.



8. Does the program offer full academic credit? SunHawk Adolescent Recovery Center is accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, and our adolescents can earn a normal semester's credit in an average of six months. Many adolescents are able to recover credits, earning more than one semester's credit. This gives adolescents an opportunity to experience success in the academic setting and keeps them from falling behind academically while they get their lives back together.



9. Is your program equipped to address dual diagnosis or co-occurring issues? Yes, a large percentage of our adolescents experience both substance abuse and other mental health issues. Our professional clinical team, made up of master's level therapists, a psychiatrist, and licensed substance abuse counselors, has the clinical expertise necessary to deal with substance abuse issues as well as a wide range of mental health issues. Our adolescents leave SunHawk with the tools necessary to stay clean and sober and live life at its fullest, capable of dealing with the many issues life may throw at them.



10. Do you consider yourself a short-term intervention, or a long-term recovery program? Current research and best practice guidelines suggest that youth in residential programs have optimal outcomes when treatment is of moderate length - that is, between 2 and 6 months. Additionally, research tells us that the duration of treatment should not be arbitrarily predetermined. Rather, it should be dictated by the time needed to meet criteria that predict a successful transition to continuing care. The average length of stay for SunHawk is approximately 6 months. Discharge is based on internalization of the first five steps as well as completion of the individual treatment plan. Our adolescents don't just wait for their time in treatment to lapse; they know they must perform and work to achieve graduation and sobriety.

DID YOU KNOW: ONLY 1 OUT OF 10 ADOLESCENTS WHO NEED SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT IN THE U.S. GET TREATMENT?