The Adolescent Program specializes in the assessment and treatment of adolescents with substance related isuues and/or behavioural addiction combined with either a major psychiatric or physical disorder (eg. diabetes).
An integral part of the assessment/treatment process involves the family and/or guardians.
Outpatient treatment involving the interdisciplinary team may include one or more of the following: regular psychiatric follow-up, individual counselling, family therapy and/or parent support group.
Weekly meetings with the teen to work on an individually tailored treatment plan. Usual components include motivational enhancement to initiate and maintain abstinence, anger management, emotional regulation, communication, and peer, scholastic, and family functioning. Consultation with an occupational therapist is available.
Therapy is supportive, cognitive behavioural, systemic, and uses motivational enhancement techniques.
Family therapy focuses on rebuilding trust and decreasing conflict, while re-establishing new avenues of communication.
The case manager will book sessions with our physicians for medication to support abstinence and for comorbid conditions such as depression, mania, anxiety, ADHD, or psychosis as needed.
Many of our teens require coordination of our services with community organizations such as school, probation, and family. We will liaise with outside organizations and work with them to extend the therapeutic gains into the community.
While our program is outpatient, individuals with either a high suicide risk, a need for detoxification, or a need for further observation/assessment of their medical or psychiatric status can be referred to the Young Adult Program at the Foothills Medical Centre.
Parents and family supports for our teens can participate in our parent support group. The group usually runs Thursdays from 5-6:30pm and lasts for 6 sessions. The group focuses on stages of change, adolescent development and concurrent disorders, parenting styles, interaction and communication patterns, setting boundaries, and self-care and community resources.
The Addiction Network includes acute care and community based satellites. Each Addiction Network satellite provides enhanced consultation services to individuals presenting with a history of substance abuse/behavioural addiction concurrent with a significant psychiatric and/or medical diagnosis. Services are supported by a registered nurse, psychologist, and consulting family physician and/or psychiatrist.