Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health

Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health

Substance Abuse and Systems of Care Resources

July/August 2008

The Bridge: Linking Science and Service
Sign up for the upcoming quarterly e-zine of the Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) National Office. This new publication will link science and service in the addictions and recovery field by providing information and tools on technology transfer and implementation science strategies as well as case studies highlighting real world applications.

Mental Health and Addiction 101
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has a series of free short Web tutorials for anyone who wants to learn more about mental health and addictions topics or those who may encounter someone with these challenges in the course of their work. Topics range from basic introductions to addictions and mental health, to specific subjects like depression, schizophrenia and addressing stigma. They are available in English or French.

A Parent's Guide to the Teen Brain
This guide is available now at the Web site of the Partnership for a Drug Free America. It is a digital, interactive, research-based resource for parents that explains adolescent brain processes and offers tips for communicating and helping teens make good decisions.

Child Welfare Information Gateway Substance Abuse Resources
The Child Welfare Information Gateway has reorganized and updated the Substance Abuse section of its Web site. The section provides an overview of the impact of substance abuse on child welfare, resources for families, and information on the following topics: prevention, assessment, casework practice, treatment services, cross-system collaboration, drugs of particular concern.



June 2008

ADHD and Co-occurring Substance Use Disorders: New Clinical Insights and Emerging Therapies
According to this report from the American Society of Addiction Medicine, young adults with ADHD are more likely to have substance use disorders, including alcohol, nicotine, and drug dependence, than adolescents who do not have ADHD. Appropriate treatment of ADHD is important to reduce the risk of future substance abuse and dependence.

Substance Use and Mental Health Information for Each State (PDF)
A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Office of Applied Studies, which provides analyses of the substance use and mental health patterns occurring in each State, reveals that there are wide variations among the States in problems such as illicit drug use and underage drinking, but that no State is immune to these problems.

Nine Elements of Effective Alcohol Treatment for Adolescents
This resource from Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems examines the work researchers have conducted to identify the common themes among the treatments deemed most effective in helping teens with alcohol problems.

Recovery Symposium PowerPoint Presentations
The Institute for Research, Education and Training in Addictions (IRETA) held a recovery symposium in May 2008 and has made the presentations and resources from the symposium available online.


May 2008

Online Videos Train Clinicians to Help Clients Who Drink Too Much
A new, interactive video training program from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) provides quick and effective strategies for screening clients for heavy drinking and for assisting them in cutting down or quitting.

Understanding Major Depression and Recovery (PDF)
The National Alliance on Mental Illness has a new booklet on understanding major depression and on recovery for people who may be suffering as well as for people who may recognize the symptoms in their friends or family members.

New Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Online Course
SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment's Knowledge Application Program (CSAT KAP) is offering its first online e-learning course with CEUs. Acamprosate: A New Medication for Alcohol Use Disorders provides information about the use, side effects, and contraindications of Acamprosate; information to discuss with clients; and a comparison of medications used to treat alcohol use disorders.

New Drug-Free Workplace Kit
SAMHSA has created a new kit for workplaces of all sizes to maintain a drug-free work environment. The kit includes practical evidence-based information, resources, and tools to help develop drug-free policies and programs.


April 2008

Substance Abuse Prevention Guide for Communities (PDF)
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a new publication, Focus on Prevention, to help communities target and solve the substance abuse problems specific to their local populations.

New Center for Mental Health Services State Mandates Report (PDF)
SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services has a new report that focuses on state-mandated mental health and substance abuse benefits, state laws regulating mental health and addiction treatment workers, and state-recognized mental health clinicians with authority to prescribe psychotropic medications.

Alcohol Cost Calculator for Kids
The Alcohol Cost Calculator is designed to help teachers, parents, lawmakers and child advocates calculate the effects serious alcohol problems are having on their community.

New Journal - Current Drug Abuse Reviews
Current Drug Abuse Reviews seeks to provide a resource publishing high quality reviews and meta-analyses of the newest studies of substance abuse and addiction. The journal will cover developments in neurobiology, neuropsychopharmacology, addiction, behavioral effects, prevention, and treatment strategies on abuse of alcohol and both illicit and prescription drugs. It also includes book reviews, letters-to-the-editor, and information about upcoming topical conferences.


March 2008

Seeking Safety
Seeking Safety is a therapy for trauma / posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse. Although this curriculum has been mainly used with adults, it has shown some success with adolescents. It teaches coping skills and also helps individuals figure out how to set limits, find support, identify resources, and discover they are not alone.

Quitting Guide
This is the first document on the internet designed to guide smokers through the process of quitting. There are other resources on quitting available at Quitnet.

Recovery Options: The Complete Guide
Intended for substance abusers, and their loved ones to a lesser extent, Recovery Options: The Complete Guide offers explanations and appraisals of the major treatment options for various addictions. The book is a resource that allows substance abusers to make informed choices based on their options. It also stresses the importance of the stages of change in the treatment process. It is available for purchase on Amazon.com or in bookstores.

Bridging the Gap: A Guide to Drug Treatment in the Juvenile Justice System
A comprehensive guide, Bridging the Gap: A Guide to Drug Treatment in the Juvenile Justice System identifies what makes an effective treatment program, as well as profiling successful programs around the county. It can serve as a resource to adults involved in the juvenile justice system in making informed decisions about treatment options for juvenile offenders.


February 2008

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services’ First Online E-learning Course
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Knowledge Application Program announced its first online e-learning course entitled, Acamprosate: A New Medication for Alcohol Use Disorders.

Prevention Education in America's Schools: Findings and Recommendations from a Survey of Educators
A survey of kindergarten through twelfth-grade educators in the U.S. was conducted to learn how drug and alcohol education is actually taught, identify barriers teachers face in teaching prevention, and identify the types of training, support, and materials educators need to improve the effectiveness of their alcohol and drug use prevention efforts. Based on the survey, a national advisory committee of experts in education met several times to discuss the survey results and formulate recommendations on drug and alcohol prevention. The result is the report, Prevention Education in America's Schools: Findings and Recommendations from a Survey of Educators.

Tools to Build an Indicator Program
Indicator reporting programs enable community leaders and advocates to focus resources on their most pressing substance abuse problems, and develop pertinent community prevention and treatment strategies. A new website, developed by Join Together as a companion to their handbook, How do we know we are making a difference? A community alcohol, tobacco, and drug indicators handbook (PDF), assists communities in building an effective indicator program.

Preventing Underage Drinking: Using Getting To Outcomes with the SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework to Achieve Results
Structured according to SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework, this guide helps communities plan, implement and evaluate strategies to prevent underage drinking. Using the Getting to Outcomes™ model, emphasizing results-based accountability and continuous quality improvement, the guide is a step-by-step manual for communities.


December 2007/January 2008

Web Forum Provides Discussion Around Methamphetamine Use
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has designed the DiscussMeth Web forum to act as an online community providing a space to disseminate information and resources about methamphetamine use. The site offers four forums: General Meth Discussions, Treatment, Enforcement and Prevention.
Visit the DiscussMeth Web forum.

New Web Page Helps Users Identify Evidence-Based Programs
As part of their Science and Service Initiative, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has created a new Web site, A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices on the Web, which features 37 websites that offer comprehensive reviews of research findings or information about evidence-based interventions. Members of the behavioral health field can use the Web guide to increase understanding of current intervention research, and the availability and implementation of evidence-based practices.
Read the full news bulletin.

Helping You to Help Your Patients: An Introduction to Medication for Alcohol Dependence
A free online course for addiction treatment counselors, this tool provides counselors with an opportunity to further deepen their understanding of how they can use medications as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for alcohol dependence. It is designated for up to 2.0 CEUs.
Find out more about this opportunity.

Two Grant Results Topic Summaries Review Approaches to Preventing Substance Abuse
Two new reports depict the grant results from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s investment – more than $400 million between 1989 and 2006 – to investigate two approaches, behavioral and environmental, to prevent substances abuse.
Read about the behavioral approach to preventing substance abuse.
Read about the environmental approach to preventing substance abuse.


November 2007

A Provider's Introduction to Substance Abuse Treatment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals: Training Curriculum
This training curriculum provides information about the interaction between LGBT issues and substance use disorders. The knowledge provided will help practitioners increase their skills in providing sensitive, affirmative, culturally relevant, and effective substance use disorders treatment to LGBT individuals. To access this resource, visit http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/pattc/lgbttrainingcurriculum/.

Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment Workbook
Published by the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, this treatment workbook was developed by a working group of substance abuse treatment practitioners as well as researchers from the Tampa PIC/Suncoast Practice and Research Collaborative project, whose goals are “to improve service coordination for substance-involved individuals in the criminal justice system and to implement evidence-based practices that address service delivery needs.” This workbook covers eight modules: the connection between substance abuse and mental health; depression; bipolar disorder; anxiety disorder; schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder; motives and consequences; principles of treatment; and relapse prevention. To access this workbook, visit http://mhlp.fmhi.usf.edu/web/mhlp/CDTWorkbook.pdf (PDF).

Integrated Treatment for Dual Disorders: A Guide to Effective Practice
This guide discusses Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment, an evidence-based practice for co-occurring disorders. It includes information on assessment and ancillary treatment strategies, and guidelines for individual, group, and family approaches. Educational handouts are also provided, which can be duplicated for use.

Citation: Mueser, K.T.; Noordsy, D.L.; Drake, R.E.; Fox, L. (2003). Integrated treatment for dual disorders: a guide to effective practice. New York. Guilford Press.

The Family and the Dually Diagnosed Patient
This resource discusses the importance of providing services to the families and friends of people with co-occurring disorders, and describes issues that often impede the provision of services. Included are an outline of "MICAA-NON" (a model program for families) and analysis of a family perspective survey study. For more information, visit http://users.erols.com/ksciacca/chaptfam.htm.


October 2007

Web Resources

  1. Drugscreening.org — A confidential and anonymous Web site can help you determine the likely risks of your drug use, and advise you about when and where to seek more information, evaluation, and help. You will be asked to answer a few short questions about your past and present use of various drugs.
  2. Inhalant Abuse Resources — The New England Inhalant Abuse Prevention Coalition has a Web-based training on inhalant abuse, which is designed especially for parents and guardians. The training contains information about the latest trends in inhalant abuse, how to prevent it, how to identify it, and how to talk to your children about it. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to go through the training.
  3. Meth Action Clearinghouse — The National Association of Counties has developed a clearinghouse of information on methamphetamines. The Meth Action Clearinghouse has many resources including results of research and surveys, updates on federal legislation and advocacy, and new releases.

Guides and Directories

  1. A Parent's Guide to Preventing Teen Cough Medicine Abuse (PDF) educates parents about the dangers of cough medicine abuse. It also includes information on how parents can monitor their kids and be proactive in their lives.
  2. The National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs 2007 provides information on thousands of alcohol and drug treatment programs located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and four U.S. territories. The guide, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA), lists public and private facilities that are licensed, certified, or otherwise approved by substance abuse agencies in each of the states.
  3. The Substance Use Screening & Assessments Instruments Database is intended to help clinicians and researchers find instruments that are used for screening and assessment of substance use and substance use disorders. Communities are using different instruments and having information about them in one database is useful. Some instruments are in the public domain and can be downloaded from the Web; others can only be obtained from the copyright holder.

Additional Publications

  1. Addressing Co-Occurring Disorders in Non-Traditional Service Settings: Overview Paper 4 and Understanding Evidence-Based Practices for Co-Occurring Disorders: Overview Paper 5 continue a series of brief introductions to state-of-the-art knowledge from SAMHSA's Center for Co-Occurring Excellence.
  2. The Victorian (Australia) Dual Diagnosis Initiatives' has recently released a publication: Screening for and Assessment Of Co-Occurring Substance Use And Mental Health Disorders (PDF) by the Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) and Mental Health Services. This guide was designed to assist mental health and AOD clinicians, managers and services wishing to develop their ability to screen for and assess co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
  3. Understanding Links between Adolescent Trauma and Substance Abuse: A Toolkit for Providers "is designed to raise awareness about the needs of youth with traumatic stress and substance abuse problems and to promote evidence-based practices in clinical settings. This product is also meant to serve as a training guide for providers working with this population."


May 2007

  1. Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health: Current Evidence is an on-line newsletter that provides information about the latest clinically relevant research on alcohol, illicit drugs, and health. It provides insight from experts in the field, valuable teaching tools, and unbiased funding sources. Go to http://www.aodhealth.org for more information.
  1. Addiction, an HBO documentary, premiered in mid-March.  It featured some of the nation’s top filmmakers, and provided insights from experts on addiction trends and treatments. To accompany this awareness initiative, there are 13 short supplemental documentaries (collectively titled Addiction: The Supplementary Series), four additional full-length documentaries (Addiction: The Complementary Series), a Web site on hbo.com, and a national outreach campaign funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The series focuses on case studies and promising treatments that challenge traditional beliefs about addiction. The Web site is a great resource: http://www.hbo.com/addiction/.
  1. The link http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/communitysupport/toolkits/about.asp will take you to the SAMHSA Toolkits Homepage. On this site are a number of manualized treatment and psychoeducation programs for individuals and families dealing with co-occurring disorders. The toolkits are best practice models with consumer and clinician manuals as well as methods for implementing outcome measures and program evaluations.
  1. The New England Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Online Addiction Education Program has ongoing courses on addiction treatment: http://www.attc-ne.org/education/. They are currently offering an online program called Dual Diagnosed Treatment a M.A.P. to Recovery. This workshop, which is part one of a two part series, will introduce and/or expand the clinician's knowledge of specific integrated treatment approaches for persons with emotional and addictive disorders. This course will begin on May 21, 2007, and will run for 5 weeks. The required time commitment is two hours per week (10 contact hours). Go to this link for further information: http://www.attc-ne.org/education/. The Northeast ATTC offers a training manual, Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders in Adolescents: Integrating Approaches for Assessment and Treatment of the Individual Young Person. A recent review noted that this was very useful for content and did not address skills per se. You can find the curriculum at http://www.ireta.org/store/customer/product.php?productid=80&cat=0&page=.
  1. A report, Strategies for Developing Treatment Programs for People With Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders, is designed to help both substance abuse and mental health treatment providers create programs to treat individuals with co-occurring disorders, highlights challenges to service delivery, delineates strategies to overcome these challenges, identifies methodologies to help public purchasers build integrated care systems and describes core competencies and training from which treating professionals and the people they serve can benefit. The report is available at http://www.jointogether.org/resources/strategies-for-developing-for.html.
  1. Understanding Substance Use Disorders, Treatment and Family Recovery: A Guide for Child Welfare Professionals is a free accredited online course. Topics include how parents' substance use disorders contribute to child abuse and neglect and steps to take when you identify substance abuse as a factor in cases of child abuse and neglect. Enroll today at http://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/tutorials.
  1. Keep Kids Alcohol Free: Strategies for Action, is an action guide that is aimed at preventing the use of alcohol by children ages 9 to 15. It describes three basic prevention strategies and ways they can be applied in the home, the school, and the community. Addresses for online "e-sources" point to further information: http://www.alcoholfreechildren.org/gs/pubs/html/Prev.htm.

March 2007

The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) has over 100,000, bibliographic abstracts and full text articles and reports, prevention and treatment materials, and policy papers and speeches on its website. The materials focus on drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, as well as mental health, social marketing and health communication issues. The database that houses the material is called Information about Drugs and Alcohol (IDA) and is now accessible at no charge. The Web address is http://ida.nacoa.org.

The latest issue of Alcohol and Health: Current Evidence - March-April 2007 http://www.alcoholandhealth.org has articles on relapse, early onset drinking, primary health care screening, and treatment follow-up. In the May-June 2007 issue, the newsletter will include the latest clinically-relevant research on both alcohol and other drugs. The name of the newsletter will change to Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health: Current Evidence and its website address will become www.aodhealth.org.

The document Blueprint for the States: Policies to Improve the Ways States Organize and Deliver Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Treatment reports the findings and recommendations of the national policy panel convened by Join Together and chaired by former Governor of Massachusetts Michael Dukakis. The panel used information from experts, clients, providers, government officials, community members to form the Blueprint. The Blueprint can be downloaded from the following website: http://www.jointogether.org/aboutus/policy-panels/blueprint/order-form.html

Under the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Blending initiative, new products have been released that encourage the quick integration of research findings into clinical practice. The following are included: the latest research on drug abuse topics, including addiction to opioid drugs, as well as techniques for behavior modification; training modules for treating addiction to opioid drugs with buprenorphine; a program that instructs providers on how to transform required paperwork into clinically-useful information; and treatment products to enhance the effectiveness of motivational interviewing, focus on the use of motivational incentives combined with biological screening, to promote higher rates of treatment retention and abstinence. The new tools integrate PowerPoint slides, CDs, and bibliographies containing the most recent research findings. The information can be accessed at www.drugabuse.gov.

Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction is a 30-page full-color booklet that simply explains how science has increased the understanding of drug addiction as a brain disease that affects behavior. The booklet discusses the reasons people take drugs, why some people become addicted, how drugs work in the brain, and how addiction can be prevented and treated. The publication also discusses relapse and how that is a part of the recovery process. The booklet can be downloaded at the NIDA website: http://www.drugabuse.gov/scienceofaddiction/.

A new Web course on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is available to substance abuse counselors and supervisors as part of a NIDA-funded research study by the New England Research Institutes, Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England and the Boston University School of Social Work. The Web course has exercises that counselors can use with clients, homework assignments that help clients use what they learned in sessions, and 8 instructional modules on motivating substance abusing clients, conducting a structured assessment, preventing relapse, using CBT with HIV+ clients, and helping clients with other life problems. The Web course is free to participating agencies whose counselors and supervisors sign up and participants are eligible for 16 CEC's. For more information visit www.teachcbt.com or email teachcbt@neriscience.com.


July 2006

Information about Children of Parents with Alcoholism

Kit for Early Childhood Professionals
The National Association for Children of Alcoholics developed this guide to help early childhood care providers learn more about alcoholism and its effects on children of parents with alcoholism. The kit contains important facts, advice, and resources to help providers support and care for these children. http://www.nacoa.org/Full_Chlidcare%20kit%20_06.pdf

***

A Guide for Caring Adults Working with Young People Experiencing Addiction in the Family
This guide was developed by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to educate adults on the risks to children growing up in families affected by alcoholism. The guide provides information about how adults can help, encourage, and support children of parents with alcoholism. In addition, the guide lists outside resources and organizations to which adults can refer if necessary. http://csat.samhsa.gov/publications/youcanhelp.aspx

***

Children of Alcoholics: A Guide for Community Action
This action guide contains a variety of valuable resources and tools to help individuals and organizations raise awareness about parental alcoholism in their communities. The resources and tools include sample talking points, fact sheets, feature story ideas, public service announcements, radio scripts, and pitch letters. http://store.health.org/catalog/productDetails.aspx?ProductID=16745

***

Al-Anon/Alateen Web Site
The Al-Anon (which includes Alateen for younger members) fellowships are support groups for families and friends of alcoholics. The Al-Anon/Alateen Web site allows visitors to search for support groups throughout the U.S. and Canada. The site also provides online Al-Anon meetings. In addition, the site contains resources for professionals, a media kit, and publications that include a monthly newsletter. The Alateen section of the site contains information specifically for young people, which is presented in youth-friendly language. http://www.al-anon.org/


May 2006

Information about Club Drugs

The Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug Facts: Club Drugs

This report contains information and statistics on the use of club drugs by teens and young adults in the U.S. The report includes data from a number of recent studies to illustrate:

      • the extent of use by teens and young adults;
      • the health effects of using various club drugs;
      • the number of arrests and sentences related to possession of club drugs; and
      • production and trafficking of various club drugs.

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/club/index.html

***

NIDA Research Report Series – MDMA (Ecstasy) Abuse

This report on MDMA is part of the National Institutes of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Research Report Series. The report summarizes the latest NIDA-supported research findings on MDMA use and potential dangers. It includes a brief history of the drug, data on MDMA abuse in the U.S., information about the effects of using MDMA, and a discussion about prevention and treatment.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/MDMA/

***

Tips for Teens: The Truth About Club Drugs

This publication is part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Tips for Teens series. The document provides information for young people about the dangers of club drugs. It contains basic facts about club drugs, including how club drugs can affect your brain and body. It also includes advice about how to tell if a friend is using club drugs and how to help that friend. The final section lists a few questions and answers about using club drugs.

To view the document in your browser, visit http://www.health.org/govpubs/phd852/
To download the document in PDF format, visit http://media.shs.net/Prevline/pdfs/phd852.pdf

***

NIDA for Teens Web Site: The Science Behind Drug Abuse - Ecstasy

The NIDA for Teens Web site contains a section devoted to facts about Ecstasy. It describes Ecstasy and how it is used and lists recent data on Ecstasy use among teenagers. It also describes Ecstasy’s effects on and risks to the body and mind. In addition, the site contains links to: questions about Ecstasy (Ask Dr. NIDA: Ecstasy); stories from real teens who have tried Ecstasy (Real Stories: Ecstasy); information for parents and teachers (Parents & Teachers: Ecstasy); and additional resources.

http://www.teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_xtc1.asp

***

What Parents Should Know About Ecstasy

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America developed this booklet containing pertinent information for parents about Ecstasy and its dangers. It includes tips for how to prevent children from using Ecstasy, how to determine that a child may be using Ecstasy, and what to do if you think your child may be using Ecstasy. It also provides information about how to get help for a child who is using Ecstasy.

Download the booklet in PDF format: http://www.drugfree.org/Files/What_Parents_Should_Know_Brochure


January 2006

Bridging the Gap: A Guide to Drug Treatment in the Juvenile Justice System

Despite the fact that a large percentage of juvenile offenders have substance abuse issues, very few resources are dedicated to drug treatment in juvenile justice systems. This guide examines this gap in treatment, identifies eleven key elements of effective treatment programs, and describes programs around the country that are utilizing effective strategies. The Guide was developed with input from researchers, treatment providers, and juvenile justice experts regarding current research and clinical practice in the area of adolescent drug treatment and juvenile offenders. Juvenile court judges, counselors, parents and other concerned individuals can use this guide to make decisions about drug treatment in the juvenile justice system.

To order a copy of Bridging the Gap: A Guide to Drug Treatment in the Juvenile Justice System, visit http://www.drugstrategies.org/pubs.html#gap

***

Treating Teens: A Guide to Adolescent Drug Programs

This guide was developed to help parents, teachers, judges, counselors and other concerned individuals learn effective strategies for treating adolescents with substance abuse disorders. The guide identifies elements of effective adolescent drug treatment and profiles programs around the country that are incorporating these elements. In addition, the guide provides resources for providers and parents.

To order the Treating Teens: A Guide to Adolescent Drug Programs, visit http://www.drugstrategies.org/pubs.html#teen

***

Free Organizers Database Tool for Nonprofits

The Organizer' s Collaborative, a non-profit organization which provides free software and low-cost support services to address the technology needs of the social change community, will release the latest version of its Organizers Database (ODB) tool. The ODB is fast, easy-to-use database software designed to help small organizations track members, prospects, and donors. The ODB is available free of charge to small nonprofit organizations.

Additional information is available on the Organizer 's Collaborative Web site: http://organizerscollaborative.org/index.php

***

Nonprofits Offered Free Online Survey Service

QuestionPro, a web based software for creating and distributing surveys, is offering free one-year accounts for nonprofit organizations. Through the QuestionPro Nonprofit Waiver Program, nonprofits can register for a Professional license for the product free (a $499 value). In order to participate, nonprofit organizations must provide a link to QuestionPro from their web sites and must mention QuestionPro as the technology provider for the surveys.

For more information, visit http://www.questionpro.com/non-profit-research


November 2005

SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) recently released two new Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs). TIPs are best-practice guidelines for the treatment of substance use disorders.

    • TIP 43: Medication-Assisted Treatment For Opioid Addiction in Opioid Treatment Programs
      TIP 43 endorses medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction. The report discusses the effectiveness of MAT and details steps that caregivers need to follow during the course of treatment. The TIP begins with a detailed description of MAT and the history of its use for treating opioids in the United States. Authors review the pharmacology and clinical applications of the medications used for treating opioid addiction and provide information about implementing MAT programs in opioid treatment programs and other settings. To download TIP 43, visit http://store.health.org/catalog/productDetails.aspx?ProductID=17173
    • TIP 44: Substance Abuse Treatment for Adults in the Criminal Justice System
      TIP 44 provides recommendations and guidelines for substance abuse treatment of individuals in the criminal justice system. Upon entering the justice system, many people have never received needed treatment for substance abuse. This provides a unique opportunity for the justice system to intervene to prevent future substance use—and consequently to prevent future crime. This TIP was developed to help substance abuse treatment counselors who treat persons in the criminal justice system. It contains information on screening, assessment, treatment, and follow-up services for individuals in a variety of criminal justice settings. To view TIP 44, visit http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=hstat5.chapter.80017

***

Methresources.gov http://www.methresources.gov/

This website contains a myriad of information about methamphetamine, including current research, treatment, and legislation. Resources are available for a variety of audiences: enforcement and public safety, prevention and education, treatment and health, parents and youth, policymakers and legislators, and business owners. The site also contains news stories, publications, recent legislation, and information about upcoming conferences.


September 2005

Steroid Intervention Program
http://www.addictionintervention.com/intervention/steroids.asp

Addiction Intervention Resources, a national organization of professional intervention specialists, has developed a new Steroid Intervention Program. The Program is designed to intervene, stop steroid abuse, and help prevent future steroid use among athletes of all ages and abilities. The program works by motivating the individual to accept help, facilitating access to appropriate treatment, preparing for post treatment continuing care, and designing strategies to assist with recovery. Addiction Intervention Resources staff believe that there is no perfect strategy to fit all individuals; for that reason, each treatment plan is tailored to the individual seeking treatment.

***

Online Registry of Evidence-Based Practices in Suicide Prevention Released
www.sprc.org/whatweoffer/ebp.asp

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) and The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention have developed an online registry of evidence-based suicide prevention programs. The registry was created in response to Objective 10.3 of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention: “establish and maintain a registry of prevention activities with demonstrated effectiveness for suicide and suicidal behaviors.”

The development of the registry began with a year-long search for evaluations of suicide prevention programs. Evaluations were then reviewed by experts and classified according to their demonstrated evidence. Fourteen evidence-based suicide prevention programs were chosen to be included in the registry.

***

Facts on Tap Launches New 'Mini Magazines' Aimed at College Students
www.factsontap.org

Facts on Tap is a national college-based prevention initiative designed to educate and inform students about alcohol and drugs on college campuses. Facts on Tap has developed two new student “mini magazines” on their Web site:

  • “The Wrong Prescription” provides information on prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse on college campuses.
  • “The Deal with Marijuana” provides facts for college students on marijuana abuse.

These two mini magazines debunk common myths that persist on college campuses about drugs; describe common scenarios that may arise for students; answer common questions; and provide guidance for students seeking help for themselves or others. The new mini magazines augment a substantial collection of resources on alcohol and drug education, prevention, and intervention.

***

Understanding Child Welfare and the Dependency Court: A Guide for Substance Abuse Treatment Professionals
www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/tutorials/tutorialDesc.asp?cid=1

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare offers a free online self-tutorial for substance abuse treatment professionals. The course is designed to assist substance abuse treatment professionals in understanding the impact of child welfare and dependency court requirements on clients who are parents. Participants will learn 1) how to work with the child welfare and dependency court system and 2) how to help clients develop support structures for their children and family.

The course is approved by the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors for 4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). There is no charge to complete the course or to receive CEUs.

***

SAMHSA Issues Group Therapy Guide for Substance Use Disorders Treatment
http://alt.samhsa.gov/SAMHSA_News/VolumeXIII_3/article2.htm

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has developed a guide for substance abuse counselors on the use of group therapy in the treatment of substance use disorders. The guide, "Substance Abuse Treatment: Group Therapy," is part of SAMHSA’s Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) series. Like other TIP documents, this guide was formed by a consensus panel of non-federal clinical researchers, clinicians, program administrators, and client advocates. The panel concluded that group therapy is an effective, cost effective treatment that offers a number of advantages to patients, including positive peer support, affiliation, and decreased isolation. The guide contains valuable information about group therapy modalities, techniques, and practices.


January 2005

The Power of Proof: An Evaluation Primer http://www.ttac.org/power-of-proof/

The Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium (TTAC) has developed these online tools to help tobacco control professionals evaluate their programs and determine their levels of success. The Power of Proof is organized into seven installments, each outlining a section of the evaluation process:

•  Part 1, "Setting the Stage," provides information about what evaluation is and why it is important.

•  Part 2, "Evaluation Planning," describes how to create a detailed plan for your evaluation.

•  Part 3, "Writing Objectives," concentrates on writing clear and measurable evaluation objectives.

•  Part 4, "Data Collection," discusses methods for collecting data for program evaluation and provides suggestions for choosing and designing data collection instruments.

•  Part 5, "Types of evaluation," provides a detailed discussion of the four primary types of evaluation: 1) formative evaluation, 2) process evaluation, 3) short-term outcome evaluation, and 4) long-term outcome evaluation

•  Part 6, "Interpreting the Data," shows you how to process, analyze, and interpret the data you have collected and make decisions about your program accordingly.

•  Part 7, "Reporting Results," provides guidelines for communicating evaluation findings to a variety of audiences.

***

The Cool Spot http://www.thecoolspot.gov/

The Cool Spot is a website created for kids 11-13 years old by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The content of The Cool Spot is based on a curriculum for grades 6-8 developed by the University of Michigan for the Alcohol Misuse Prevention Study (AMPS), a large-scale project supported by NIAAA. This youth-friendly site contains articles and activities with information about alcohol and peer pressure, information on how to help someone with an alcohol problem, and support websites and hotlines.

***

Tips for Teens: The Truth About Inhalants http://www.health.org/govpubs/phd631/

This website provides information to teens on the dangers of inhalant use. The page offers facts about inhalants and their damaging effects on the brain and body. Visitors to the web page also learn the signs of inhalant use and receive information about how to help someone who is using inhalants.


November 2004

The Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) is an information and training clearing house sponsored by SAMHSA. The ATTC focuses on substance abuse and dual diagnosis evidence based treatment, research, and training. The website contains a wealth of information and links to local ATTCs.  There are fourteen branches across the country. The website also contains the following resources:

      • Addiction Science Made Easy: a library of cutting-edge research articles taken from the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research and rewritten in lay terms
      • Eye on the Field: a monthly electronic magazine which features important topics in substance abuse treatment and provides useful tools for practitioners and administrators
      • Addiction Ed: a catalog of addiction-related distance education opportunities offered by organizations around the world
      • ATTC Publications Catalog: a directory of ATTC Network products and resources, including curricula, videos, presenter materials, trainings and more
      • Certification Info: a listing of basic state, national and international licensing and credentialing information for alcohol and drug counselors
      • The ATTC Networker: a newsletter designed to deliver timely and relevant information about ATTC projects and the substance abuse treatment field (also available in print)

For more information contact The ATTC National Office at www.nattc.org or phone (816) 482-1200.

***

Nar-Anon World Services

Nar-Anon/Narateen offer self help family groups for the families and friends of addicts. Nar-Anon World Services may be helpful to you, and they provide this screening tool to help decide.  Ask yourself the following questions and answer them as honestly as you can. If you can answer YES to four or more of these questions, Nar-Anon may be able to give you the answers you are looking for.

  1. Do you find yourself making excuses, lying or covering up for the addict in your life?
  2. Do you have reason not to trust the addict in your life?
  3. Is it becoming difficult for you to believe his/her explanations?
  4. Do you lie awake worrying about the addict in your life?
  5. Is this person missing school often without your knowledge?
  6. Is this person missing work and the bills piling up?
  7. Are the savings mysteriously missing?
  8. Are the unanswered questions causing hostility and undermining your relationship or marriage?
  9. Are you asking yourself. "What's Wrong?" and "Is it my fault?"
  10. Are your suspicions turning you into a detective and are you afraid of what you might find out?
  11. Are normal family disagreements becoming hostile and violent?
  12. Are you canceling social functions with vague excuses?
  13. Are you becoming increasingly reluctant to invite friends to your home?
  14. Is concern for your spouse, child or friend causing you headaches, a knotty stomach and extreme anxiety?
  15. Is your spouse, child or friend easily irritated by minute matters? Does your whole life seem a nightmare?
  16. Are you unable to discuss the situation with friends or relatives because of the embarrassment?
  17. Are your attempts at control frustrating?
  18. Do you over compensate and try not to make waves?
  19. Do you keep trying to make things better and nothing helps?
  20. Is the lifestyle of this person changing? Do you ever think they may be using drugs?

For members needing to contact World Services:
Nar-Anon World Service Office
22527 Crenshaw Boulevard, Suite #200 B
Torrance, CA 90505
Telephone: (310) 547-5800
E-Mail: wso@naranon.com


August 2004

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology www.aacap.org

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry provides this important information as a public service to assist parents and families in their most important roles.

Related Link: Facts for Families by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/index.htm

The AACAP developed Facts for Families to provide concise and up-to-date information on issues that affect children, teenagers, and their families. The AACAP provides this important information as a public service and the Facts for Families may be duplicated and distributed free of charge as long as the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is properly credited and no profit is gained from their use.

***

American Psychiatric Association www.psych.org

The American Psychiatric Association is a medical specialty society recognized world-wide. Its over 35,000 U.S. and international member physicians work together to ensure humane care and effective treatment for all persons with mental disorder, including mental retardation and substance-related disorders. It is the voice and conscience of modern psychiatry. Its vision is a society that has available, accessible, quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment.


June 2004

Dual Diagnosis Recovery Network at www.dualdiagnosis.org

The network states their mission as "To develop and enhance recovery opportunities for individuals who experience a dual disorder of an emotional or psychiatric illness and a chemical addiction, and to provide support and education for members of their families. The DDRN offers assistance in three ways: Advocacy, Self Help, Information and Referral." It is an excellent Web site for a wide array of service help and information.

***

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment's (CSAT) Treatment Improvement Exchange: Dual Disorders at www.treatment.org/topics/dual.html

The Web site is part of the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration and hosts many of the vital resources and knowledge dissemination links in the substance abuse and mental health field including funding, policy, treatment, and other initiatives.

***

Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) at www.nattc.org

ATTC is a national and regional addiction and co-occurring training and information clearing house that hosts conferences, workshops, Web-based learning opportunities, print resources, and a newsletter entitled "Networker." See the upcoming conference on co-occurring disorders: Treating Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan.


May 2004

Resources for learning about relapse prevention:

Web site:

http://www.treatment.org/index.html

This Web site is the address of the treatment improvement exchange, SAMHSA's home page for a multitude of valuable resources. The relapse prevention resources can be found on another link that is part of the Technical Assistance Publications Series numbers 8 and 19. Both of these series are focused on the criminal offender, but the information is still valuable for anyone.

***

Web site:

www.samhsa.gov/centers/clearinghouse/clearinghouses.html

This Web site hosts the national clearinghouse for alcohol and drug information (NCADI). The clearinghouse has a relapse prevention video tape, as well as many manuals and brochures vital to treatment and prevention.

***

Web site:

http://www.draonline.org/relapse.html

This Web site hosts dual recovery anonymous, a self-help type organization that provides excellent resources for dually diagnosed individuals. There are a series of questions and answers on these pages to help understand the relapse in terms of both the mental health and substance use triggers.

***

Web site:

http://www.npi.ucla.edu/ssg/relapse.htm

This Web site hosts the family social support project and includes a two-page worksheet for the use of relapse prevention in dealing with chronic mental illness and the onset of serious symptoms of Schizophrenia. The resources and methods could also be used for other mental health disorders.


April 2004

Web site: http://www.chestnut.org/LI/downloads/bibliographies/adolescent_treatment_bib_022904.pdf

This Web site link contains the most current in-depth bibliography related to adolescent health, substance abuse treatment research and methodology, adolescent comorbidity, and general substance abuse and treatment. It is based on combing references from numerous literature searches, proposals, and articles. The development of the bibliography was supported by funds from many Center for Substance Abuse (CSAT) funded projects. This is a working and evolving document prepared by Michelle White and other staff at the Lighthouse Institute, who we owe a special thanks to for their efforts in compiling this wonderful resource.

 

***

Web site: http://www.chestnut.org/LI/APSS/CSAT/protocols/index.html

This Web site link includes a number of treatment management and assessment tools necessary to deliver services in a coordinated and measurable fashion. It is vital that system of care programs adopt tools like these to ensure the development and sustainability of appropriate services. These tools allow families and staff the ability to discuss what is working and make any changes on an ongoing basis. The Resource Specialist staff of the Technical Assistance Partnership at the American Institutes for Research will help system of care program staff implement these tools for their use.

***

Web site: www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov

This Web site offers a tremendous amount of information and links about illicit drug use, drug treatment, government policy, and grant funding. The goals of Office of National Drug Control Policy are to reduce drug trafficking; related crime and violence; and drug related health consequences. The office has sponsored the New York Times series on educating youth in the classroom. The latest series is on peers helping peers to recognize and do something about harmful use.


March 2004

Resources on Recovery Check Ups and Continued Care

The best way to get a sense of the reasons and recommendations for continued care services is to see the Lighthouse Institute's research projects on adolescent treatment by Mark Godley and Mike Dennis. Go to www.chestnut.org , find "Lighthouse Institute's Bookstore" at the bottom of the page, then select "Research Projects from the menu on the left, and select the researcher's name.

***

Godley, M. D., Godley, S. H., Dennis, M. L., Funk, R., & Passetti, L. (2002). A randomized field trial of an assertive aftercare protocol for adolescents following discharge from residential substance abuse treatment: Preliminary outcomes. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 23, 21-32.

This article describes the development and evaluation of the assertive aftercare protocol. Dr. Godley finds benefits in retention, engagement, and reductions in relapse, but suggests all findings are still early and more work is needed.

***

Scott, C. K., & Dennis, M. L. (2000). A cost-effective approach to achieving over 90% follow-up in outcome monitoring with substance abuse treatment clients. Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 60 (Suppl. 1), 200.

Getting good follow-up information and keeping track of clients for long periods of time after discharge is very difficult. Follow-up information needs to be collected at intake and check ups made periodically to verify the accuracy of the contact information over time. This article describes a service approach to achieving good follow-up rates and staying in contact with clients.


February 2004

The Formative Years: Pathways to Substance Abuse Among Girls and Young Women Ages 8-22

This report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (February 2003) examines the reasons why girls and young women use-or don't use-tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs. Along with other relevant statistics, The Formative Years identifies characteristics of girls and young women who abuse substances and the times in which they are at highest risk of doing so.

Read the full article:

http://209.208.151.183:8080/pdshopprov/files/151006.pdf

***

Parenting is Prevention: Resource Guide to Parenting Programs

"Research demonstrates clearly that parental involvement is key in preventing children from engaging in substance abuse."

This Resource Guide is a joint effort of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). It is designed to provide state-of-the-art information about a variety of workplace-based programs and products that parents can use to help combat alcohol, tobacco, and drug use among their children.

Read the Resource Guide:

http://workplace.samhsa.gov/WPResearch/Parenting/parentingPDF.pdf

***

Food for Thought: Substance Abuse and Eating Disorders

"Individuals with eating disorders are up to five times likelier to abuse alcohol or illicit drugs and those who abuse alcohol or illicit drugs are up to 11 times likelier to have eating disorders."

In this report, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (December 2003) provides key findings from their research examining the link between substance abuse and eating disorders. The report also includes advice on what parents, schools, health professionals, and others can do to help prevent eating disorders and substance abuse in children.

Read the full article: http://www.casacolumbia.org/pdshopprov/files/food_for_thought_12_03.pdf


Holiday 2003/2004

Below is a list of important resources for implementing adolescent substance abuse treatment. The list is organized in two sections: 1) more general references and 2) research articles published within the last few years. The SAMHSA (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment-CSAT) Web site is an invaluable resource for current information concerning any topic related to substance abuse. The chestnut Web site has treatment manuals that can be downloaded for free and resources for implementation.

1. General

Sampl, S., & Kadden, R. (2001). Cannabis Youth Treatment Series: Volume 1, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Available at http://www.nida.nih.gov/

Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide. National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1999. Available at http://www.nida.nih.gov/

Stevens, S. J., & Morral, A. R. (Eds.). (2003). Adolescent substance abuse treatment in the United States: Exemplary models from a National Evaluation Study. New York: Haworth Press.

Stewart-Sabin, C., & Chaffin, M. (2003). Culturally competent substance abuse treatment for American Indian and Alaska Native youths. In S. J. Stevens & A. R. Morral (Eds.), Adolescent substance abuse treatment in the United States: Exemplary models from a National Evaluation Study (pp. 155-182). New York: Haworth Press.

2. Specific

Clark, H. W., Horton, A. M., Jr., Dennis, M. L., & Babor, T. F. (2002). Moving from research to practice just in time: The treatment of cannabis use disorders comes of age. Addiction, 97, 1-3.

Dennis, M. L., Dawud-Noursi, S., Muck, R. D., & McDermeit, M. (2003). The need for developing and evaluating adolescent treatment models. In S. J. Stevens, & A. R. Morral (Eds.), Adolescent substance abuse treatment in the United States: Exemplary models from a National Evaluation Study (pp. 3-34). New York: Haworth Press.

Dennis, M. L., Titus, J. C., Diamond, G., Donaldson, J., Godley, S. H., Tims, F., et al. (2002). The Cannabis Youth Treatment experiment: Rationale, study design, and analysis plans. Addiction, 97, 16-34.

Hawkins, J. D., Catalano, R. F. & Miller, J. Y. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: Implications for substance abuse prevention. Psychological Bulletin, 112(1), 64-105.