Intervention, Treatment, and Relapse

Intervention, Treatment, and Relapse

Paul C. Van Alstyne

BSHS431 Dependency and Addictions

June 27, 2013

Instructor; Barbara Ann Fuselier

Intervention, Treatment, and Relapse

Over the years, people have looked for ways to cope with the stressors that one encounters throughout his or her daily lives. Many of the solutions that people have settled on involve the use of chemicals and substances acquired from outside of the body instead from within, substances to alter the conscious mind. As a result, the consequences of their choices have caused harm to their mental and physical wellbeing. These outside sources have created imbalances in their bodies, which create dependencies, and addictions that affect their lives with negative results over time. Society has answered the question as to how they can help those in need to "break the chain" of addiction by creating a health care system that utilizes techniques, such as intervention, treatment, and relapse prevention. As a result, individuals can "kick the habit" and become productive members of society once again. Many agencies and organizations that are available to the addicted population and one such entity known as the Phoenix House offers its services to many of the affected citizens in the United States of America.

Intervention

Intervention is the action taken to improve a situation, esp. a medical disorder (Merriam-Webster, 2013). When it comes to chemical dependencies and addictions, there are varying levels of interventions, such as court-mandated rehabilitation, family and friends concern of an individual, and one's own volition. Phoenix House is a place that deals with all these types of intervention. Screening is a quick, easy way to recognize patients who need a brief intervention, additional evaluation, or even care for substance use. It does not determine conclusive knowledge about possible treatment needs, and diagnosis. Brief Intervention is a technique that uses motivation-oriented conversation concentrated on amassed insight and awareness concerning substance use and motivation toward behavioral change. In solitary or several meetings, brief intervention can be personalized for diverse populations or settings and can be used as a stand-alone service for those at-risk as well as a medium for engaging those in need of more extensive levels of care. Following this technique, recommendation to treatment delivers those recognized as needing care that is more extensive with access to specialty care. The effectiveness of the referral process to specialty treatment is a strong measure of screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) success and involves a proactive and collaborative effort between SBIRT providers and those providing specialty treatment to ensure access to the appropriate level of care. A key aspect of SBIRT is the integration and coordination of screening and treatment components into the greater system of health care services. This system links a community's specialized treatment programs with a network of early intervention and referral activities that are conducted in medical and social service settings.

Treatment

Phoenix House has over 120 treatment programs across the country and offers many different treatment options and services. Not all regions have all services or types of programs. Phoenix House has residential and outpatient treatment, most include services for adolescents with mental health problems. They have prevention programs, early intervention, detoxification services, and recovery centers. They also offer short-term treatment, as well as longer-term options. Each client's stay in treatment is determined by a number of issues from the difficulties he or she are addressing to the strengths they have for recuperation. It is difficult to know ahead of time how long treatment should last but what they do know from research is that treatment that lasts 90 days or more tends to be more effective. This could be in residential treatment, outpatient treatment, or a combination.