Published: June 30, 2008 10:54 pm         

ASAP targeting juvenile drug, alcohol abuse

Adolescents are the target of a new program that gives them intensive services ASAP.

The mission of the new Adolescent Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) is to provide services for alcohol or drug use before a youth hits rock bottom or is in trouble with the law.

“The main people we’re trying to get to are those who haven’t gotten into trouble yet,” said Justin Simmons, executive director of Youth & Family Services of North Central Oklahoma.

YFS, through a contract with the state Department of Health and Substance Abuse Services, will facilitate the program. The impetus is on early treatment, which in turn will help reduce crime, save money and save lives.

The intensive outpatient treatment targets adolescents and their families experiencing substance abuse issues. The services are provided in a supportive and interactive manner and are directed towards client sobriety and maintaining or restoring a positive family relationship.

“It’s designed to provide as much as a residential treatment center with out having to leave the community,” Simmons said.

Ron Anderson is ASAP coordinator, and Simmons said he is experienced working with juveniles.

Simmons said parents can call Youth & Family Services at 233-7220 and ask for an assessment for their child. Counselors will then get the family in for a drug and alcohol assessment.

“Through an assessment, we try to determine whether it is experimentation or abuse,” Simmons said.

The services are time-limited and initially are intensive, based on the needs of the client and the family. Family in-volvement in the program is a critical part of the treatment process and is strongly encouraged by facilitators.

Simmons said the intensive outpatient treatment consists of several individual, group and family sessions each week.

Unless families were able to afford this kind of intensive therapy, the only previous option was to wait until the youth got in trouble and was court-ordered to treatment.

Garfield County, not unlike every other community in the United States, has problems with adolescent alcohol and drug use, abuse and addiction, according Sean Byrne, YFS development director.

Recent data collected through a PreventionWorkz Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment survey shows about 30 percent of teens en-gage in binge drinking, 8 percent used in-halants, 5 percent used co-caine and 5 percent used hallucinogens.

On average, a teen first gets drunk at 131⁄2 years old and uses marijuana at 14. As many as 20 percent of high school seniors and 17 percent of sophomores report engaging in behaviors that reflect alcohol or drug addiction.

Untreated substance abuse adds significant costs to communities, including violence and property crimes, prison expenses, court costs, suicide and dropout rates. Research also shows for every $1 spent on treatment, there is $4-$7 reduction in the costs of drug-related crimes, Byrne reported.

Families suffering from issues related to substance abuse also are frustrated about the lack of services available. Research shows the quicker a teen can receive intervention or treatment services the more successful the outcome.