Seven Challenges
The Seven Challenges Program is designed for young people ages 12 – 17 who are struggling with consequences of drug and/or alcohol use. We assist the young person in looking at themselves, examining choices made, and exploring options to new ways of thinking and acting in order to meet their goals. Once such decisions are made, we provide the tools and support that ensures success.
Utilizing individual sessions with youth the Seven Challenges Program addresses the behavior and the underlying causes and lifestyle issues associated with alcohol/drug use.
Respect
The Seven Challenges Program places a special emphasis on creating a climate of mutual respect so that individuals can talk openly and honestly about themselves. We engage young people in actively thinking about their alcohol or other drug use, and its effect upon their lives.
Understanding
Working through The Seven Challenges helps youth understand what needs they are meeting by using drugs, what harm they are causing, what risks they are taking, and what it entails to give up a drug using lifestyle.
Partnership
Our specially trained counselors join with youth and their families as problem-solving partners. We help young people overcome co-occurring problems and learn to meet their needs in positive ways so they are in a position to make a commitment to change.
ACRA
Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (ACRA) is a substance abuse counseling program designed for young people ages 12 – 17 who are struggling with the consequences of drug and/or alcohol use.
ACRA has been proven effective in reducing adolescent substance abuse by providing intensive, individual counseling sessions for the young person. Additional sessions include parents/caregivers with services being provided in youth’s home or a community site and includes:
- 10 to 12 individual sessions with youth
- 2 to 4 sessions with the parent/caregiver
- Sessions provided at a time and place (school, home, community site) convenient for the family Supports Youth
- Helps to identify and modify conditions that will encourage a drug free lifestyle
- Provides skill building activities that reinforce new ways of handling problems while building on current strengths and resources
- Promote positive social activities and peer relationships • Improve relationships with family and other adults
- Assists in identifying and accessing existing community resources to support positive change Supports parents/caregivers
- Discuss parenting challenges • Learn effective ways to parent a young person who uses marijuana/alcohol/ other drugs
- Develop skills to support their young person’s recovery
Seeking Safety
Seeking Safety is an evidence-based treatment model that addresses the co-occurring diagnoses of trauma and substance abuse.
Trauma is re-experienced, avoided, associated with symptoms of arousal/reactivity and associated with negative cognitions and mood.
Advantages of Seeking Safety
- Focus on potential rather than pathology
- Use of simple, everyday words
- Emphasis on practical solutions
- Relating the material to current and specific problems in adolescents' lives
- Making best use of time available
Links between PTSD and Substance Use
- Two main themes of both disorders are secrecy and control
- Each of the disorders makes the other more likely
- Both diagnoses have higher rates of personality disorders
- Trauma symptoms widely reported to become worse with initial abstinence
- Both situations produce a profound need to be in an altered state
Recovery Advocate Program (RAP)
Recovery Advocate Program (RAP) provides specialized services to meet the individual needs of adolescents and transitional aged youth (ages 13-25). RAP provides individual and family centered services needed to address anyone age 13-25, who have individual and family conflicts, life skills deficits, or a situational crisis as a result of substance abuse.
Things to know about RAP:
RAP includes a combination of case management and Substance Abuse counseling services. All RAP participants will have a Recovery Advocate who works with the youth/family to determine their needs and create a "care plan" to address identified challenges.
Goal is to stabilize youth in their community and provide skills to make positive decisions, manage emotions, and develop healthy drug-free relationships and activities in the community.
Substance Abuse Counseling services are provided though a licensed counselor.
RAP Family Coordinator remains with the youth/family from time of admission until 6 months after discharge:
- Assists youth in finding ways to overcome any barriers to program completion.
- Completes screenings and assessments.
- Makes referrals and connects families with other needed services.
- Provides Family Support Network individual or group counseling sessions.
Recovery Advocate utilizes the Care Plan to determine what services will best meet the needs of the youth and family. Services can be delivered in the Community (home, office, community site).
The Recovery Advocate is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week to help manage crisis situations. Services provided are:
- Transportation
- School Issues
- Employment Assistance
- Developing drug-free relationships in community
- Participation in drug-free community activities
- Anger management
All services are Free of Charge. For more information contact: Estrella Griggs-Williams@egriggs@yapinc.org or 817-492-4673.