Adolescent Treatment

Project ADAM provides Level I outpatient treatment to assist adolescents (teenagers ages
12 - 18) in overcoming chemical dependency and the problems associated with it. Adolescent treatment takes place in a therapeutic group setting that helps participants understand and combat the effects of substance abuse. The Adolescent Treatment Program lasts 12-17 weeks.

The goal of Level I outpatient treatment for adolescents is to provide an effective and efficient intervention program for individuals who have experienced significant difficulties in life related to their use and abuse of substances. This treatment utilizes a two-pronged approach intended to not only increase the patient's knowledge and understanding of the effects of substance abuse, but also to provide a therapeutic experience that will initiate a long-term transformation. Each participant will increase their understanding of the physical and psychological addiction process and apply this knowledge to personal life situations in ways that foster individual behavioral change.  Participants will also learn to identify people/situations in their own lives that trigger substance abuse, gain an increased understanding of how substance abuse effects significant others in their lives, and learn to utilize healthy responses and means of dealing with life stressors.  In addition, they will become familiar with strategies for obtaining abstinence and increase the patient's knowledge of support resources in the area.

In outpatient adolescent treatment, Project ADAM utilizes the MRT curriculum, an open-ended cognitive-behavioral treatment program that addresses substance abuse as well as behavioral issues associated with petty crimes, like shoplifting.  The MRT curriculum provides juveniles with 16 steps to escape their own prisons of crime and substance abuse.  While using the MRT, clients complete homework for each group prior to coming to a session.  In group each client will present thier homework and will either pass onto the next step or redo the homework based on objective criteria.

Referrals for the Adolescent Treatment Program are accepted from the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Family and Children’s Services and the school system. Project ADAM has recently expanded its relationship with the Barrow County Department of Juvenile Justice by providing anger management courses to supplement outpatient alcohol and drug treatment and education, as well as life skills training, drug and alcohol testing, and MRT programs for substance abuse. In addition, general treatment for behaviors like shoplifting as well as family and individual counseling are available through Project ADAM.

The anger management curriculum, Coping With Anger, isdesigned to help clients manage feelings of anger and frustration in an appropriate way.  The program consists of 8 modules which are completed in 8 group sessions in addition to sessions with a counselor or facilitator.  Clients will complete homework prior to attending each group and will be evaluated by the instructor and either passed on to the next module or asked to redo the homework based on objective criteria.  This curriculum can be individualized to client-specific needs by requirements to meet with the counselor or facilitator at several modules.

For more information about Adolescent Outpatient Treatment, please contact us at 770-867-8003 or email us at projectadam@aol.com