Substance abuse rehabilitation program for adolescents

Portage Ontarioat Elora

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

"Throughout the program, I began to see that I was as valuable as anyone else. I have learned how to understand others and how to ask for help. I know that I can’t do it by myself, but because of the family I’ve gained at Portage, I know I won’t have to."

- Cardier, Portage Elora resident

Testimonial

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Portage rehabilitation programs• Therapeutic Community Approach• Video – Portage Ontario• Adolescent Program

Summary

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Québec (since 1973)• Adolescent Programs• Adult Programs• Mother and Child Program• Mentally Ill Chemical Abusers Program (MICA)• Employment Reintegration Programs

• Ontario (since 1985)• Adolescent Program

• Atlantic (since 1996)• Adolescent Program

• British Columbia (since 2009)• Adolescent Program

Portage across Canada

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Treatment approach based on• self-help• mutual support• peer role-modelling• reality therapy• motivational interviewing• cognitive behaviour

• The community is the therapist• Residents are taught to shape their own values,

develop a realistic perception of their lives, and build self-respect and self-confidence.

Therapeutic Community Approach

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Voluntary admission• Highly structured and safe residential environment

• Residents acquire competencies through• Participation in groups and activities• Taking on various roles and responsibilities• Interacting with their peers, who serve as role models

Therapeutic Community Approach

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

VideoPortage Ontario

Addiction Rehabilitation Program

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• A participant often demonstrates the following characteristics:• Started using drugs as young as 10 or 11 years of age• Lost interest in school and usually not attending regularly• Has been abusing drugs and/or alcohol for approximately 4

years – primarily marijuana, hallucinogens, cocaine and opiates

• Alienated from family, and may no longer live at home• Often involved in criminal activities

Portrait of Portage’s Adolescent Clientele

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Residential drug rehabilitation centre• Residential program – up to 6 months• Aftercare follow-up – 2 years

• For youth 14 years and older with substance abuse issues

• Gender-specific programming• Portage Academy

• On-site school programming through the Upper Grand District School Board

• Family-type setting within the therapeutic community

• Structured and safe residential environment

Adolescent Program Overview

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Youth 14-18 years of age• Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol• May have lost interest or dropped out of school • May have social adjustment problems • May be in a stable phase of mental illness• May be in the care of the Children’s Aid Society• May be involved in the Youth Criminal Justice

System

Who is the program for?

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Eliminate abusive consumption of drugs/alcohol• Develop skills and acquire social aptitudes• Improve interpersonal skills and family

relationships for better social support system• Social reintegration: back to school, work, or

volunteer work

Treatment Objectives

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Youth learn that trust and honesty is the key to coming to terms with the difficulties they have experienced.

• By sharing with their peers, they discover they are not alone and that many have experienced similar situations.

In the Portage Community

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Phase 1: Welcome and integration into therapeutic community

• Phase 2: Competency acquisition• Phase 3: Introspection and application• Phase 4: Taking on responsibilities• Phase 5: Validation of acquired therapeutic skills

and plan for social reintegration (family, school, work, activities)

• Phase 6: Social reintegration

Program Phases

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Created with the resident upon admission and revised monthly• Objectives and plans for drug issues, physical

health, mental health, personal development, social skills, family, education, etc.

• Competency development phases• Length of stay based on individual need• Monthly case conferences

Individualised Treatment Plan

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• On-site school programming, adapted to residents’ needs• Sports and recreational activities• Outward Bound• Career counselling service• Community involvement• Weekend outings• Parent/resident groups

Programming

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• From 6:30 am to 9:00 pm• Morning meeting• On-site school programming at Portage Academy• Lunch• On-site school programming• Recreation/leisure activity• Community meeting• Dinner • Therapeutic groups, activities, and workshops• Leisure time• Night meeting

A Typical Day

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Preparation for social reintegration• Reintegration visits with family• Support seeking appropriate school environment • Support seeking counselling; individual, group counselling

services• Support seeking housing• Career planning and company visits

Social Reintegration

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Follow-up for 2 years to support youth in transition • Relapse prevention• Follow-up phone calls• Support groups • Individual counselling, if necessary• Back in touch visits• Employment counsellor and job search strategies• Guidance counsellor services• Continuum of Care

Aftercare Services

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• For those who, for whatever reason, do not complete residential treatment• 2 years• Periodic telephone calls, tailored to individual needs• Individual meetings, where necessary• Eventually, participants can return to residential therapy at

Portage or elsewhere, if necessary

Continuing Care

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• Monthly onsite Family Days • Therapeutically focused groups and visits• Build trust, confidence, balance, and skills to cope

with youth in treatment

• Transition planning to create a strong support network

• When reintegrating back into the family, establishing expectations in the home and providing support to both youth and their families

Family Services

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• A dynamic and multidisciplinary team• Drug addiction counsellors, psycho-educators, nurses,

teachers, employment and guidance counsellors, and other resources

• Responsibilities• Ensure the physical and psychological safety of residents• Supervise, support, counsel, and assist with learning and

new competency acquisition • Monthly treatment planning sessions, weekly follow-up• Parent/guardian/agency contacts via telephone and/or

email

Portage Elora Staff Team

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

• A research study on Portage’s services (2003 to 2008) concluded that:• 66% of the adolescents who spent more than six months at our

centres were still abstinent more than a year after leaving the residential program.

• After treatment, the majority of graduates go back to school or back to work

• The majority enjoy improved relationships with their family members and develop a positive social network

Results

I have the right to be happy and to be treated with care and understanding . I have the right to be safe . I have the right to say what I feel

“My life had spiraled out of control because of my substance abuse. I had lost everyone and everything I loved and was living a dangerous lifestyle. When I was admitted to Portage, it was the scariest day of my life, but definitely the best choice I ever made. I’m now a caseworker at Portage Elora. I think it’s important that I know where the residents are coming from, that I can relate to them, that I understand all the feelings that they’re going through. In the end, I can always assure them that this program has changed my life and that it can do the same for them.”

- Jennifer Andrews, Portage Elora Caseworker and graduate

Testimonial

Substance abuse rehabilitation

centre for adolescents

Portage Ontarioat Elora

519.846.0945www.portage.ca