Addiction Professional articles from September 2006

Addiction Professional archives from September 2006

Are you venturing outside the lines?(Letter From the Editor)(Editorial)
September 1, 2006... This issue's main cover story on page 12 addresses a topic that not long ago would have found virtually no support in the mainstream treatment community: the idea of giving treatment clients the equivalent of cash rewards as an incentive for...

The definition of spirituality.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I read Fred J. Dyer's article "The Spiritual Journey for Youth" in the May/June 2006 issue, and I must say I am dumbfounded. Spirit is defined as a supernatural being or essence, as a Holy Spirit. Dr. Dyer states that spirituality is possible...

Dreams of using also affect those in later recovery.(Letters)(dreams of drug abuse)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I am a counseling supervisor in Central Florida. I was reading the issue in which Roger Martinez wrote about dreams of using (September 2005 issue). I have been in recovery myself for 11-plus years now. The article stated that only newly sober...

Medications are legitimate, important treatments.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Regarding the letter "Reader Sees No Miracle in Latest Drug" (March/April 2006 issue), it is tragic that many addiction specialists still endorse an obsolete spiritual, purist "disease" model, assuming that abusers have to stop every...

New tools to assist in smoking cessation.(Commentary)
September 1, 2006... Everyone realizes the benefits that ensue when a longtime smoker is able to stop. Epidemiologic studies suggest that about one-third of smokers are nicotine-dependent (i.e., they have the brain reward system dysregulation associated with not...

Treatment with a payoff: tangible rewards for maintaining abstinence are benefiting some programs and clients.(Cover story)
September 1, 2006... Both the general medical world and the insurance industry have used direct financial incentives to promote positive behavior change in individuals. While the concept has been slower to catch on in the addiction treatment community, a growing...

The Family Factor: a form of enabling in the addict's natural support system can advance genuine recovery.(Column)
September 1, 2006... I know about my son and his addiction better than he does," a tearful mother in my office stated several years ago. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I remember the power of her statement. Although she was crying, the woman was calm and...

Continuing education quiz.
September 1, 2006... Earn continuing education credits by taking this quiz on the article that begins on page 18 of this issue. A grade of 70% or above will earn you a certificate of completion for two nationally certified continuing education hours. This is an...

For Indiana center, recovery is academic: facility takes uncommon step of establishing recovery high school.
September 1, 2006... Sometimes the pursuit of a recovery vision can lead an addiction treatment organization to an unexpected but potentially rewarding destination. For the nationally known Fairbanks treatment organization in Indianapolis, improving recovery...

12-Step centers can handle complex cases: behavioral care plans can yield effective, individualized care.
September 1, 2006... The traditional 12-Step based residential treatment center is evolving both to support scientific advances in addiction and to meet the needs of patients with co-occurring conditions. 12-Step principles provide a strong, cohesive framework for...

Extending the professional recovery model: better outcomes require the kind of aftercare support physicians and pilots receive.
September 1, 2006... Strict adherence to continuing-care plans is crucial if the addiction field intends to improve recovery outcomes for those treated for chemical dependency. The responsibility for ensuring this adherence, and for the lack of adherence to date,...

Let's talk about 'God': an inclusive approach to spiritual topics fosters healthy group interaction.(Column)
September 1, 2006... The common space in which all religions appear to meet consists of two parts. First, there is an uneasiness that, reduced to its simplest terms, constitutes a sense that there is something wrong about us as we naturally stand. Second, there is...

An uncommon healing touch: a medical intuitive's successes in helping addicts have caught some professionals' attention.(Column)
September 1, 2006... Kathleen Judge, a clinical social worker in private practice in Rutland, Vermont, describes herself as a "plain vanilla" therapist whose years of experience have taught her not to chase every treatment technique du jour. When she received...

Exploring substance use's role in dementia: an abuse history could inform care for some elderly patients.
September 1, 2006... Perhaps the most difficult but necessary challenge for human service professionals is to question existing models of treatment. This is especially true when a more effective model is not yet available. Because of a conditioned passivity,...

A mother's cry: a professional's experience doesn't diminish the pain of family addiction, or the questions.
September 1, 2006... Today when I removed the mail from the box, a letter from my daughter fell from the pile of envelopes, advertisements, and junk mail. On the back of the envelope, INMATE was stamped in red ink. My daughter has been in custody since March 2005...

Programs can adjust to wraparound model.(Adolescent Treatment)
September 1, 2006... More communities are moving toward a wraparound model of care for youths, with a growing recognition of the need to redesign how services are provided to multi-stressed children and families. Adolescent substance abuse treatment programs need...

Balancing disclosure and the client relationship.(Road to Recovery)
September 1, 2006... My July/August issue column covered interactions with the criminal justice system, reviewing how to handle subpoenas, search and arrest warrants, and a crime committed on program premises. This column continues to explore that relationship,...

Sounds of silence.(Group Psychotherapy)(Column)
September 1, 2006... Perhaps the most common nightmare of the beginning group therapist is being confronted by the group's silence. This terror is based on the foundation of a myth that the therapist's job entails getting the group to talk. Ironically, since most...

Some resources to assist in dream work.(The Dream Zone)(Column)
September 1, 2006... I am a counselor working in New Jersey, and have been in the addictions field for a little over three years. I make every effort to learn new tools in an attempt to help my clients maintain or reach sobriety. I have found that working with a...

A Comprehensive Guide on Addiction's Complexities.
September 1, 2006... Wiley Concise Guides to Mental Health: Substance Use Disorders Nicholas R. Lessa and Walter F. Scanlon; John Wiley & Sons; Hoboken, N.J., (201) 748-6395; 2006; ISBN; 0-471-68991-2; softcover; 312 pages; $34.95 The authors of this guide to...

New findings confirm concerns about early use.(Of Note)(New findings confirm concerns about early alcohol use.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Data reported in the July 2006 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine show a stark difference in later-life outcomes between the group of people who begin using alcohol before age 14 and the group who do not begin drinking...

Washington recovery program stresses community service.(Of Note)
September 1, 2006... The Gray Wolf Ranch addiction treatment program for adolescent and young-adult males in Washington State has built strong ties to the surrounding community by emphasizing service projects for its clients. The Port Townsend & Jefferson County...

SAMHSA report shows extent of prescription drug misuse.(Of Note)
September 1, 2006... The number of people initiating nonmedical use of narcotic pain relievers is outpacing the number initiating use of marijuana or cocaine, according to a report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Looking at data...

Leaders differ on extent of methamphetamine threat.(Of Note)
September 1, 2006... The discussion of methamphetamine's prevalence and the extent to which it poses a threat around the nation continues to be characterized by significant differences of opinion. Documents released in recent months by a county government...

Genetic factor could contribute to naltrexone response.(Of Note)
September 1, 2006... A study published in the August 2006 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research points to a specific gene in theorizing why response to the antialcohol medication naltrexone varies from person to person. Researchers at the Providence...

Study offers new perspective on alcohol assessment.(Of Note)(Survey)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Results of a survey completed by North Carolina college students appear to lend credence to the notion that asking young people about drunkenness could be a telling indicator of potential problems with alcohol. Nearly 2,500 current drinkers...

Detoxification services guide.(Addiction Professional Monitor)
September 1, 2006... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has published its 45th Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) publication, on the role of detoxification in the continuum of services for people with substance use disorders. TIP 45,...

Addiction treatment conference.(Addiction Professional Monitor)
September 1, 2006... The 31st SECAD conference, addressing clinical and research issues in the treatment of addictions, is November 29 to December 2 in Atlanta. The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) sponsors the annual conference....

Short course for clergy.(Addiction Professional Monitor)
September 1, 2006... "Studies in the Twelve Core Competencies for Clergy and Other Pastoral Ministers" is a self-guided short course to assist members of the clergy in serving the needs of individuals and families affected by addiction. The course, available in...

Facility acquisition.(Addiction Professional Monitor)
September 1, 2006... The Right Step, a private chemical dependency treatment services provider in the Southwest, has acquired Focused Recovery, Inc.'s substance abuse and mental health treatment facilities in Santa Fe, Taos, Las Cruces, and Albuquerque, New Mexico....

Equine-Assisted services.(Addiction Professional Monitor)
September 1, 2006... All Ways Recovery, a California-based addiction treatment program that uses meditation, acupuncture, and homeopathy among its healing tools, offers Equine Assisted Psychotherapy from two of its locations. The program, which celebrated its...

A warm embrace for opiate addicts.(Recovery)
September 1, 2006... Alice Diorio credits methadone with saving her life. As the coexecutive director of the Opiate Dependence Resource Center (ODRC) in Brattleboro, Vermont, Diorio now tries to help others trying to recover from opiate addiction in finding the...