visit
Well, I went to my ol' hometown and visited their adolescent drug treatment facility. I had been in touch with the exec director because I was so intrigued with what they do I had to contact her and ask questions. Unfortunately, our exec director of our local facility couldn't make it. I was very disappointed but not surprised. He emailed me last minute and said he was too busy but it turned out that he had a death in the family anyway.
The treatment center I visited houses 62 adolescents and young adults - ages 12 to 20 years of age. The buildings (they have 5) are beautiful and spacious. They have multi purpose rooms - with kitchens in all. The 5th building is just for fund raising. The fund raising goes to pay for programs. The county and state pay 100% for court ordered kids and the minimum stay is six months. She said that kids can stay up to a year or more - and will only send them home when they're ready. Although I knew this information it was still difficult to believe hearing it again. She said they turn no one away. If people have financial difficulties they work out a payment plan and can do it for 10 years if they have to. The other four buildings are where the kids live and they have them set up in stages. When a kid first arrives - for the first two weeks no privileges are taken away such as TV time. They live with the "stage 4" kids who mentor them. After the two weeks they move and then cannot watch TV and the like until they progress. She said it was too difficult for the kids who first arrive to feel like they were being punished. This place actually reminds me of another place in another state my husband and I visited when our son was an adolescent. Very warm and inviting. It offered a lot as well (actually more) indoor/outdoor pools, bowling, tennis, a gym with climbing ropes and more. And kids would also be court ordered but I think they stayed up to 3 months. Here? Up to 45 days! My son received about 40. I met a mom whose son had a heroin addiction - OD'ed twice and turned back to the treatment center. Only 45 days with a heroin problem! Sick. That's all I can say. I hope to change that here. Trying to build a case. The treatment center did that years ago. They are very passionate and proactive. The entire city knows about this place. I never heard of the one here until my son was in trouble. Our paper won't write any stories on addiction - the fact that it's a disease and that it can be treated. I've asked. They only like to write about the stigma associated with it. Frustrating.
P.S. I heard back from the manager's secretary of the person I've been trying to contact about a really cool and worthwhile idea I have. The manager said that that person will most likely say no. That said - she said "Ya never know"...... So I will continue hoping for a bit longer and then see about asking others instead.
The treatment center I visited houses 62 adolescents and young adults - ages 12 to 20 years of age. The buildings (they have 5) are beautiful and spacious. They have multi purpose rooms - with kitchens in all. The 5th building is just for fund raising. The fund raising goes to pay for programs. The county and state pay 100% for court ordered kids and the minimum stay is six months. She said that kids can stay up to a year or more - and will only send them home when they're ready. Although I knew this information it was still difficult to believe hearing it again. She said they turn no one away. If people have financial difficulties they work out a payment plan and can do it for 10 years if they have to. The other four buildings are where the kids live and they have them set up in stages. When a kid first arrives - for the first two weeks no privileges are taken away such as TV time. They live with the "stage 4" kids who mentor them. After the two weeks they move and then cannot watch TV and the like until they progress. She said it was too difficult for the kids who first arrive to feel like they were being punished. This place actually reminds me of another place in another state my husband and I visited when our son was an adolescent. Very warm and inviting. It offered a lot as well (actually more) indoor/outdoor pools, bowling, tennis, a gym with climbing ropes and more. And kids would also be court ordered but I think they stayed up to 3 months. Here? Up to 45 days! My son received about 40. I met a mom whose son had a heroin addiction - OD'ed twice and turned back to the treatment center. Only 45 days with a heroin problem! Sick. That's all I can say. I hope to change that here. Trying to build a case. The treatment center did that years ago. They are very passionate and proactive. The entire city knows about this place. I never heard of the one here until my son was in trouble. Our paper won't write any stories on addiction - the fact that it's a disease and that it can be treated. I've asked. They only like to write about the stigma associated with it. Frustrating.
P.S. I heard back from the manager's secretary of the person I've been trying to contact about a really cool and worthwhile idea I have. The manager said that that person will most likely say no. That said - she said "Ya never know"...... So I will continue hoping for a bit longer and then see about asking others instead.
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