Substance abuse rehabilitation program for adolescents

Portage Atlanticat Cassidy Lake, NB

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

“I had nothing before I went to Portage and today I have contentment. It may not seem like a lot, but for someone who lived in total hopelessness and misery for years, to wake up happy is a big thing.”

- Stephanie, Portage Atlantic Graduate

Testimonial

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Drug addiction in Atlantic Canada• Portage rehabilitation programs• Therapeutic Community Approach• Video – Portage Atlantic• Adolescent Program

Summary

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Average age a person’s uses first cannabis: 13.5 years old1

• 44% of students in grade 12 reported being a passenger in a vehicle driven by a person who had used cannabis1

• In 2007, approximately 40% of youth between 12 and 17 years old were accused of drug-related offences2

[1] Student Drug Use Survey in the Atlantic provinces, 2007 [2] Statistic Canada, 2007

Drug addiction in Atlantic Canada

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Québec (since 1973)• Adolescent Programs• Adult Programs• Mother and Child Program• Mentally Ill Chemical Abusers Program (MICA)• Employment Reintegration Programs

• Ontario (since 1985)• Adolescent Program

• Atlantic (since 1996)• Adolescent Program

• British Columbia (since 2009)• Adolescent Program

Portage across Canada

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Treatment approach based on• self-help• mutual support• peer role-modelling• reality therapy• motivational interviewing• cognitive behaviour

• The community is the therapist• Residents are taught to shape their own values,

develop a realistic perception of their lives, and build self-respect and self-confidence.

Therapeutic Community Approach

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Voluntary admission• Highly structured and safe residential environment

• Residents acquire competencies through• Participation in groups and activities• Taking on various roles and responsibilities• Interacting with their peers, who serve as role models

Therapeutic Community Approach

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

VideoPortage Atlantic

Addiction Rehabilitation Program

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• A participant often demonstrates the following characteristics:• Started using drugs as young as 10 or 11 years of age• Lost interest in school and usually not attending regularly• Has been abusing drugs and/or alcohol for approximately 4

years – primarily marijuana, hallucinogens, cocaine and opiates

• Alienated from family, and may no longer live at home• Often involved in criminal activities

Portrait of Portage’s Adolescent Clientele

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Residential drug rehabilitation centre• Residential program – up to 6 months• Aftercare follow-up – 2 years

• For youth (14-21 years of age) from NB, NL, NS, PEI• Gender-specific programming• Portage Academy

• On-site school programming through the New Brunswick Ministry of Education, School District 6

• Family-type setting within the therapeutic community• Structured and safe residential environment

Adolescent Program Overview

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Eliminate abusive consumption of drugs/alcohol• Develop skills and acquire social aptitudes• Improve interpersonal skills and family

relationships for better social support system• Social reintegration: back to school, work, or

volunteer work

Treatment Objectives

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Youth learn that trust and honesty is the key to coming to terms with the difficulties they have experienced.

• By sharing with their peers, they discover they are not alone and that many have experienced similar situations.

In the Portage Community

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Phase 1: Welcome and integration into therapeutic community

• Phase 2: Competency acquisition• Phase 3: Introspection and application• Phase 4: Taking on responsibilities• Phase 5: Validation of acquired therapeutic skills

and plan for social reintegration (family, school, work, activities)

• Phase 6: Social reintegration

Program Phases

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Created with the resident upon admission and revised monthly• Objectives and plans for drug issues, physical

health, mental health, personal development, social skills, family, education, etc.

• Competency development phases• Length of stay based on individual

need• Monthly case conferences

Individualised Treatment Plan

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• On-site school programming, adapted to residents’ needs• Sports and recreational activities• Career counselling service• Community involvement• Weekend outings• Parent/resident groups

Programming

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• From 6:30 am to 9:00 pm• Morning meeting• Therapy groups• Activities and workshops• Lunch• On-site school programming at Portage Academy• Dinner • Night meeting

A Typical Day

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Preparation for social reintegration• Reintegration visits with family• Support seeking appropriate school environment • Support seeking counselling; individual, group counselling

services• Support seeking housing• Career planning and company visits

Social Reintegration

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Follow-up for 2 years to support youth in transition • Relapse prevention• Follow-up phone calls• Bi-weekly support groups offered in Moncton, Saint

John, Fredericton, Charlottetown, and Summerside• Individual counselling, if necessary• Back in touch visits• Employment counsellor and job search strategies• Guidance counsellor services• Continuum of Care

Aftercare Services

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• For those who, for whatever reason, do not complete residential treatment• 2 years• Periodic telephone calls, tailored to individual needs• Individual meetings, where necessary• Eventually, participants can return to

residential therapy at Portage or elsewhere, if necessary

Continuing Care

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Family support groups available in Fredericton, Moncton, and Saint John, NB

• Co-joint groups with parents and youth throughout treatment and into the Aftercare phase

• Transition planning to create a strong support network

• When reintegrating back into the family, establishing expectations in the home and providing support to both youth and their families

Family Services

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• A dynamic and multidisciplinary team• Drug addiction counsellors, psycho-educators, nurses,

teachers, employment and guidance counsellors, and other resources

• Responsibilities• Ensure the physical and psychological safety of residents• Supervise, support, counsel, and assist with learning and

new competency acquisition • Monthly treatment planning sessions, weekly follow-up• Parent/guardian/agency contacts via telephone and/or

email

Cassidy Lake Staff Team

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• A research study on Portage’s services (2003 to 2008) concluded that:• 66% of the adolescents who spent more than six months at our

centres were still abstinent more than a year after leaving the residential program.

• After treatment, the majority of graduates go back to school or back to work

• The majority enjoy improved relation-ships with their family members and develop a positive social network

Results

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

“During my time at Portage, I have learned a lot about myself and about the issues that led to my drug use in the first place. Portage has provided me with the opportunity to get my life on track and re-connect with my family. Without Portage I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I have a sound mind, I am healthy and happier then I have been in a very long time. I can never thank Portage enough for all they have done for my family and I.”

- Brandon, Portage Cassidy Lake resident

Testimonial

Substance abuse rehabilitation

centre for adolescents

Portage Atlanticat Cassidy Lake

506.839.1200www.portage.ca