Residential Program Overview

The SHAR Residential Program is designed to serve males and females, at separate facilities, with drug, alcohol and dual diagnosis-related issues (co-occurring disorders), including psychiatric and psychiatric eating disorder problems and self harm.

Treatment is provided in a safe, supportive home-like environment where residents can begin to learn the new skills necessary for achieving long lasting recovery and begin to deal with any secondary psychological issues. The intensive, structured program is filled with daily activities that help the resident to recognize their own denial systems, come to terms with their problems, become familiar with the 12-Step recovery principals and begin to make the positive choices that will lead them to a healthy and productive life.

The drug abuse treatment program is housed in a high-end residential setting. There are separate facilities for male and female clients. Clients sleep two to a room. Meals and recreational activities are shared under supervision of the staff.

Meals provided at the facility are high quality and nutritionally sound. Meals are created under the supervision of a registered dietician with a specialty in nutritional therapy.

The drug treatment program is in operation and staffed by a minimum of two staff members 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Crisis intervention is available on a 24-hour basis. Minimum length of stay of 45 days, with variations in length of stay determined by severity of symptom profile, psychosocial stressors, and global assessment of functioning upon intake and admission and during course of treatment.

Admission to the program is on a voluntary basis and all residents are expected to be actively involved in their own treatment. The staff believes that the individual is responsible for the consequences of his/her own actions and therefore encourage each resident to learn new approaches to understanding and expressing their needs and feelings. Random drug and alcohol urinalysis testing is conducted throughout all phases of treatment.

Given the strong influence of the family's overall level of functioning, treatment goals always incorporate some measurable behavioral improvement in family functioning, from a decrease or cessation of intense conflict within the family to the referral of parents or siblings to their own treatment.

The Drug Addiction Treatment Team

Our treatment team consists of therapists, counselors, nurses, family therapists, physicians, psychiatrists, peer counselors and activity therapists. These highly skilled professionals use some of the most effective techniques available today. Each resident is assigned a personal counselor who works directly with them throughout their treatment. In addition, several consultants who specialize in working with substance abuse addiction will be utilized as needed in the following areas:

Art Therapists

Psychiatric Consultants

Registered Dietician

Psychologists

Admissions Criteria

Minimum age of 18 years old.

Primary drug and/or alcohol problem.

No physical or psychiatric disabilities, which preclude participation in the program structure, and/or activities.

No pending legal problems of such nature as to encumber the resident's participation in treatment.

Resident must be willing to accept all program rules and structural limitations prior to admission.

No resident with a history of excessive violence will be admitted.

Addiction Assessments

The treatment program admission involves several comprehensive assessments of each resident's condition and specific issues or needs, including medical, psychiatric, academic and psychosocial status. Whenever possible collateral information is collected from additional resources including family, schools and previous treatment providers. If indicated, additional assessments may be conducted as a result of the findings from the initial assessments. These can include:

Psychiatric Evaluation

Trauma Assessment

Psychological Testing

Eating Disorder Assessment

Educational Assessment

Sexual Compulsivity Assessment

Neurological Testing

Drug Treatment Planning

The assessment process culminates in the development of the treatment plan. The plan identifies the issues to be addressed in the treatment program and the desired goals. Except for when it is therapeutically contraindicated, residents review their treatment plan with their counselor to ensure that the goals and expectations are fully understood.

Substance Abuse Treatment Services

All counseling services are performed by trained personnel under the supervision of the Program Director. Individual and group counseling techniques as well as specialized groups, e.g. psycho-education group, goal setting and drug and alcohol education groups are utilized. Treatment services include but are not limited to:

Goal Groups

Big Book and Twelve Step Studies

Individual Sessions

Psycho-Education Groups

Stress Management Groups

Anger Management Groups

Discharge & Aftercare

The Discharge Plan which is a continuing care plan will be developed by the Counselor with input from the resident and treatment team prior to the resident leaving the program and will address, as appropriate:

Continuing Care (may include therapeutic schools, individual and family therapy and outpatient programs.)

12-Step Meeting Schedule

Family relationships

Physical and psychiatric needs

Academic Needs

Social needs

Indication of anticipated problems following discharge and suggested means for dealing with them.

Following completion of the active drug abuse treatment program phase, residents can benefit from continued participation in the SHAR Alumni Program. Aftercare Groups are offered on an on-going basis to all residents who have graduated from SHAR Treatment Program.