Early intervention is valuable when facing drug and alcohol use
Intervention is a big word with frightening implications to a lot of parents, but parents don't need to be scared off by an intervention opportunity, especially if an intervention is just what their child needs to come clean. To help parents learn how …
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Drug and Alcohol Addiction Intervention Services Announced by Into Action …
Into Action Treatment and drug rehab center is now offering intervention services for families struggling to get their loved ones to go to drug and alcohol treatment for their life threatening addiction. Call 1-855-933-6732 to learn more about their …
Read more on PR Web (press release)

A Compassionate Approach to Addiction Intervention
Howie's book is especially interesting to me because I have worked in the substance abuse (now called substance use disorder) field since the 1970s, and I have known people with alcohol and other drug problems all my life. Like Howie M., the field has …
Read more on PsychCentral.com (blog)

A&E Cancels 'Intervention': 5 Most Eye-Opening Episodes From The Emmy …
A&E's "Intervention" was both hard to watch and must-see TV at the same time. It showed you the depths and absolute debilitation of drug addiction and made you feel that you were doing OK in comparison. A&E's "Intervention" showed that no matter how …
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Pyramid Healthcare opens rehab center
An Altoona-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation services provider has opened a 60-bed inpatient treatment center in Wilkinsburg. Pyramid Healthcare Inc. will offer specialized group therapy, detoxification for male and female adolescents and adults …
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Pioneers in substance abuse treatment discuss working together
The Betty Ford Center was founded in 1982 in Rancho Mirage, Calif., by the wife of former President Gerald Ford to tailor a drug-and-alcohol treatment program geared toward the needs of women. The Betty Ford Center also operates a children's program in …
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Florida Drug Rehab Into Action Treatment Center and Rise Up Gallery To Take …
Into Action Treatment Center, a long term drug rehab center is teaming up with Rise Up Art Gallery during the Wynwood Art Walk in Miami, Florida. For more information about Into Action Drug and Alcohol Rehab contact them at 1-855-933-6732 or visit …
Read more on Virtual-Strategy Magazine (press release)

by USAG-Humphreys

Question by Cancerbeater: How To obtain a “CSAC”.Certified Substance Abuse Counselor” accreditation?
I am wanting to get my certification to work in the “Substance Abuse” field. I am slowing dying from having had throat cancr and I also have Lung Disease to go with it.
This is more important to me than life. I Need help !!
I live in Atlanta and will go home to Roanoke, Va to work when completed. It use to be in some states, if you could pass the test, you got your accreditation. That easy !! But where and how do I start now, being on a limited time schedule ????

Best answer:

Answer by allen e
In most states it is required that you can show that you have the experience working under another CSAC before you are allowed to sit for the test. The average is about 2 years as a helper under supervision and a bit of classroom learning as well, CEU’s showing that you have had exposure to the various aspects of the job here in my state it is 149 CEU’s on the various parts and an additional 9 on ethics.

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by Danyel: What type of education would I need to become an RN at a substance abuse detox facility?
I am currently going to school for pre-health with a nursing concentration, until I have the requirements to apply for nursing. I would like to be able to work as an RN in a substance abuse facility. I was wondering if anyone could give me any advise as to how to go about doing this? I do not know if I will need to specialize in a certain area in order to do so or not? If anyone could help me out in regards to what to do education wise I would really appreciate it! Thanks!

Best answer:

Answer by MeMeMe
Hi,

First off, good for you for wanting to work in addiction treatment! I’m an addictions counselor and have been working in mental health (mostly suicide prevention) for 7 years and we certainly need more qualified RNs in the field. So I think you will have an easy time finding work once you’re finished with school.

As for your question… To become an RN, you need to go to nursing school. Although I’m sure you already know this. As for specializing in addiction treatment, I don’t believe there are any additional requirements, but it would be good if you have experience working with addicts or at least a greater knowledge of treating clients with addiction. So I would suggest trying to get an internship of some sort with a treatment center in your area. They may not let you do much while you’re in school, but you will be able to put it on your resume. You can learn a lot from observing how things work in treatment. The other suggestion I have would be to take some extra classes that focus on substance abuse. Drug addicts and alcoholics face a variety of special issues separate from the “normal” population you would be working with in a hospital. Most community colleges and some universities now offer programs where you can learn more about these issues. I don’t know where you live, but you may want to start looking for college programs titled “Addictions Counseling” or “Addictions Studies.” Classes you may want to take would be any type of pharmacology, a bloodborne pathogens/infectious disease class, and even alternative treatments to addiction classes. It could also help to take a few classes for addictions counselors like group therapy, individual therapy, or something similar. These will definitely help you in the future in terms of communicating with your clients.

The most important thing I would think an RN working in addiction should have to be educated about is prescription drugs of abuse. Normally when I do an intake on a client coming into treatment, they have been medically prescribed multiple addictive drugs that only contribute to and exacerbate their disease (addiction). Usually these include opiate painkillers, benzodiazepines, and other sedatives and tranquilizers. I had a client once who was on NINE different benzos which she had been on for years, all prescribed by doctors for things like insomnia, anxiety, and even hypothyroidism. This is so egregious and disgusting to me! They were killing her. She obviously had to be medically detoxed for risk of seizures and death from her meds. And needless to say, after being evaluated by our MD, she didn’t NEED any of the pills.

Anyway, I’m rambling. Just excited to see someone wanting to help in the field of addiction treatment. It is rare these days, it seems. But what a satisfying and rewarding job. Good luck to you!!!

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by Sherina F.: Who are the main characters in the book Cut By Patricia McCormick ?

Best answer:

Answer by Cuckoo
Guests with Behavioral Issues
Callie-cutting; Callie is the main character and refuses to talk throughout most of the book.; Level 1
Amanda-cutting; Amanda is introduced as a care-free and frank girl that cuts for decoration in the second chapter.; Level 1

Guests with Food Issues
Becca-anorexia and bulimia; Becca is one of the original and main characters in the group, but she is later transferred to Hammacher, nicknamed “Humdinger,” after she suffers a heart-attack from refusing “treatment.”; Level 2
Tara-anorexia; Tara is very kind and soft-spoken person that tries to reach out to Callie from an understanding point of view.; Level 2
Debbie-compulsive eating; Debbie is an extremely overweight person that is mainly friends with Becca. Amanda states that she’s “co-dependent” and that Debbie feels the need that she has to take care of Becca.; Level 3

Guests with Substance Abuse Issues
Sydney-addictions to every drug ever tried; Sydney is Callie’s “closest” friend and roommate at Sick Minds. She constantly reaches out to Callie by treating her like a normal person and making jokes and looking after her.; Level 2
Tiffany-crack; Tiffany is at Sick Minds instead of going to jail and has a little bit of a temper.; Level 2

Other Patients
Ruth-escorts Callie to Study Hall and “You”‘s office; Level 3 (graduates)
The “Ghost”

Other Characters
“You” (real name is never given)-Callie’s therapist.
Rochelle-the night-time bathroom monitor
Cynthia-the study hall attendant
Ruby-one of the workers in the reception room, likes Callie and tries to help her Callie’s Mom-Callie’s mother doesn’t seem to be very involved, however, she is concerned but “always tired,” as Callie puts it.
Callie’s Dad-Callie’s dad is equally uninvolved and works to pay for Callie’s “treatment” at Sick Minds, which requires almost constant work. Seems to care more than her mother, and rescues her at the end of the book.
Sam- Callie’s younger brother. He seems to care the most about Callie, but is not aware of what is going on and why Callie is at Sick Minds in the first place. He has very bad asthma, and is always sick. Callie blames herself for his illness.In chapter 1 Callie tries to talk to sam but sam understands her.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cut_(novel)#Characters

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Narconon Survey Confirms Pervasive Prescription Drug Abuse by Young …
An overwhelming 89% of young adults who were admitted to this rehab reported prescription drug abuse and addiction – usually years of this addictive habit. These admissions were part of a larger tabulation of the drug abuse history of treatment admissions.
Read more on DigitalJournal.com (press release)

Review on new, hazardous drugs of abuse presented in Journal of Addiction …
The last few years have seen the emergence of a new drug problem in so-called "bath salts"-actually "designer stimulants," packaged and sold in ways that skirt drug laws. A review and update on these designer drugs is presented in the June Journal of …
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Treating addicts with medicine, respect
Maine has the highest addiction rate per capita, according to the Maine Office of Substance Abuse, and more people died from prescription drug overdoses than car crashes in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Yet, even though the American Society for Addictive …
Read more on Bangor Daily News