There is a strong consensus among addiction professionals, well supported by decades of research, that treatment programs involve the family result in superior outcomes, particularly with adolescents (2). This means that more family involvement leads to more significant improvement in treatment and long-lasting, successful outcomes. For struggling teens, when families get involved with the treatment, not only does the teen get the support they need but the parents do, too. Parents can then help sustain the success that their struggling teen finds in treatment long after treatment has ended.
Family Involvement Key to Success of Teen Substance Use Treatment
This article presents a narrative review and conceptual framework for research on family involvement across the continuum of substance use disorder (SUD) services for transition-age youth (ages 15-26). Though families are powerful resources for enhancing treatment and recovery success among youth with SUDs, they are not routinely included in clinical practice. This article summarizes youth SUD prevalence and service utilization rates and presents developmental and empirical rationale for increasing family involvement in services. It then describes key research issues on family involvement across the SUD services continuum: Problem Identification, Treatment Engagement, Active Treatment, Recovery Support. Within each phase, it highlights bedrock research findings and suggests promising opportunities for advancing the scientific knowledge base on family involvement. The main goals are to endorse family-oriented practices for immediate adoption in routine care and identify areas of research innovation that could significantly enhance the quality of youth SUD services.
Research has shown that meaningful family engagement positively impacts youth outcomes across various domains. Parental involvement in education has been extensively studied for decades with less attention paid to the degree of involvement in other systems. More recently, studies have focused on the purpose and roles of family engagement across key child and youth serving sectors. Advancements in brain science, the use of precise research methods, and the inclusivity of diverse populations are influencing family engagement strategies in education, child welfare, juvenile justice, health, mental health, and behavioral health systems.
A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student AchievementThis resource features studies that describe successful practice in engaging families of all backgrounds in the challenging work of improving student achievement and offers practical strategies for reaching out to families and sustaining their involvement.
Substance use affects everyone in the family, so it's important that family members are involved in the treatment and recovery process of adults and youth. In fact, most patients engage in treatment because of positive family involvement and intervention.
In the best circumstances, families can find it difficult to adjust along with the person who is recovering, who is behaving differently than before, and who needs support. Even after a family member begins treatment and recovery, other family members may continue unhealthy behavior patterns. Family therapy can help the family as a whole to recover and heal. Each family member may be adjusting to changes, starting to deal with past conflicts, and establishing new routines. Family therapy can help each member of the family make specific, positive changes that can help the whole family heal from the effects of substance use disorders.
Families with alcohol and other drug problems usually have high levels of stress and confusion. Highly stressed family environments are a risk factor for early and risky substance use, as well as mental and physical health problems. It's important to talk with children about what is happening in the family and help them to express their concerns and feelings. Children need to trust the adults in their lives and believe that those adults will support them. Children living with alcohol or drug abuse in the family can benefit from participating in educational support groups in school student assistance programs.
In addition, the family plays a key role in both preventing and intervening in youth substance use and misuse10. Parents, especially, can increase risk or promote youth resilience and prevent substance use, depending on the relative health of the parent/s and involvement with the child10. Healthy parental involvement in adolescents' substance use disorder treatment strengthens the relationship between the parent(s) and teen, increases adolescent self-disclosure, and results in greater reduction of adolescent substance use7. Furthermore, family therapy may be an effective treatment for adolescent substance use and can improve retention and engagement of youths in treatment8.
Note: The "Talking to Clients" training module in this toolkit contains a section with more information about engaging family members and friends and may be helpful for both counselors and front desk staff -- anyone who interacts with clients regularly at your treatment agency.
Gosnold, Inc. in Falmouth, Massachusetts has a member of the admissions staff greet the family in the lobby. The greeter explains what to expect, answers questions, and instructs family and friends to inform the counselor if the client wants to leave treatment. Gosnold offers a handout for providers on involving family (Becoming Family Informed, Family Involved), as well as a fact sheet and training program for family members themselves, explaining the ins and outs of the treatment process.
Our Substance Abuse and Co-occurring Disorders Treatment program provides a comprehensive array of substance abuse and collaborative services to meet the needs of the individuals and families that we serve, utilizing our successful in-home services model.
At KVC Kentucky, we have built our reputation on the highly effective in-home Behavioral Health Services we have provided for over 22 years. Our Substance Abuse and Co-occurring Disorders Treatment program, Alcohol and Other Drug Entity (AODE), provides a comprehensive array of substance abuse and co-occurring services to meet the needs of the individuals and families that we serve, utilizing our successful in-home services model.
For example, research shows that environmental influences on substance use predominate among adolescents, while family history (e.g., genetic influences) becomes more prominent during young adulthood.
Synergy has provided substance abuse treatment to adolescents since 1978. Synergy serves adolescents with substance use, conduct, and other co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Synergy is grounded in promising and evidence-based practices; all services emphasize developmentally appropriate, empirically supported treatments. Treatment is informed by a comprehensive assessment, which leads to formation of an individualized treatment and continuing care plan.
Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (ACRA), an outpatient treatment approach, is a behaviorally based intervention that is effective in helping adolescents find alternative coping strategies and supports in their community to avoid drug use. ACRA helps promote abstinence, positive social activities, and positive family and peer relationships.
Assertive Continuing Care (ACC) is an empirically supported community and home-based model and it is available for those youth who have completed a residential, day treatment, or a similarly intensive program. ACC utilizes the ACRA therapy model and relies heavily on home-based case management to assist the youth in achieving goals and developing positive activities. This involves linking the youth to services in the community (e.g., 12-step support group, work or pro-social activities, mental health counseling); monitoring his/her continued involvement with the service; advocating for the individual as needed (e.g., with probation or school/work); and providing support through difficult times (e.g., relapse or problems with caregivers). The therapist may also offer transportation to an individual to help him/her engage with a pro-social activity.
Synergy also offers outpatient substance abuse treatment services at the Family Resource Pavilion, located in Centennial, CO. The Family Resource Pavilion brings a variety of organizations together to provide individualized services to families without them having to drive to multiple locations. Synergy offers individual, family, and group therapy, as well as evaluation services from this location.
When adolescents arrive at Newport Academy, they are typically struggling with insecurity and low self-esteem. Our approach to teen mental health treatment is to address the core issues that cause depression, teen anxiety, and self-destructive behaviors. When we look past behaviors influenced by teenage drug abuse and/or mental health struggles, we are able to see the underlying catalysts driving behavior. We guide our teens through their struggles and help them find a path to self-acceptance and healthy living.
We provide an ideal setting for teens to begin their recovery in a loving, supportive environment. Inpatient Residential stays at Newport Academy range from 45 to 120 days in a gender-specific residential setting. Furthermore, our gender-specific treatment model sets the stage for the most effective treatment for teen depression, teen anxiety, substance abuse, and other mental health concerns. We allow adolescents to address their individual needs without distraction. The Newport Academy Outpatient Program is designed to help teens transitioning from Residential treatment to continue their daily recovery in a structured and secure environment. We provide a balance between recovery counseling and academic programming, ensuring that students abstain from self-destructive behaviors while earning a high school diploma and studying for college entrance exams. 2ff7e9595c
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