Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Chemical Dependency Program
Mission Statement: Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR) provides quality clinical and educational services which promote the emotional, behavioral, spiritual and physical development of children, adolescents and their families.
Cultural Competence: YBGR recognizes and respects the importance of diverse cultural identities and traditions, while supporting strong family life within multi-cultural settings.
Chemical Dependency Statement
YBGR recognizes the pervasiveness and seriousness of alcohol/drug abuse and dependency among adolescents. Alcohol and drug dependency is accepted as a chronic, multifaceted disorder with multiple etiologies and adverse consequences that ultimately rob children of their potential and in some cases, their lives. Identification and treatment is managed through a holistic biopsychosocial model. Appropriate screening, assessment, and treatment of alcohol/drug issues within the framework of psychiatric residential treatment is an essential component of a youth’s treatment program. Guidelines for chemical dependency treatment comply with the guidelines of the American Society of Addiction Medicine dimensional placement criteria (ASAM.)
Youth Served
Youth diagnosed with a primary psychiatric disorder and secondary substance abuse or dependency problem are candidates for the YBGR Chemical Dependence Program.
Program Description
Screening is accomplished through a multidisciplinary effort. Upon admission, a psychiatrist, clinical nurse specialist or a clinical psychologist screens each youth. If youth are identified as having a significant abuse/dependency problem, they are referred to the Chemical Dependency Program for a complete assessment.
Assessment
The evaluations, conducted by Licensed Addictions Counselors consist of reliable diagnostic tests, interviews, review of psychiatric, psychological and social information related to substance abuse history. Youth appropriate for the YBGR CD Program are provided the opportunity to participate in psycho-educational groups as well as process groups for both girls and boys.
Treatment Options
There are 3 Levels within the CD program: I Identification, II Understanding, and III Demonstration. Level I provides psycho-educational goal work encompassing various topics pertaining to addiction and related pathology and youth are encouraged to attend weekly on campus 12-step meetings. Progress is measured by the individual effort and motivation to address this problem area of their treatment by consistently completing weekly assigned task work and attending the weekly 12-step meeting.
The six-week Level II is a six-week volunteer program. Each youth makes the decision to participate. Youth who have previously gone through Level II are the best advocates in generating interest for peers to participate. Once in Level II, the youth are offered an opportunity to participate in a six-week Intensive Outpatient program consisting of four weekly CD groups and attendance at both on and off campus 12-step meetings. Level II helps the youth begin to recognize the symptoms that reflect the progression of their pathological use including increased amounts, consequences and efforts to control. At this time they can begin to take responsibility for the consequences of their using, including making amends.
At the end of the six-week program a four-day family week is conducted. Family members and youth attend a (4) day intensive workshop designed to educate the families about addiction and related pathology, build communication skills and assist parents in developing their own recovery program. The CD program treats the issue of addiction as a family illness and consistent with YBGR’s philosophy on family involvement, families are strongly encouraged to participate.
Each youth referred to the CD program is provided with a packet outlining responsibilities and expectations. Psycho-educational and process groups are effective in the treatment process by assisting the youth in understanding that they are not the only persons whose use of drugs and alcohol have caused problems in their lives. Group l offers encouragement, accountability, a safe environment in which to share and develop an understanding of their own and other’s feelings and behaviors.
Once a youth has completed Level II and family week they are advanced to Level III Demonstration where they begin to practice and incorporate recovery skills into their daily lives. They attend a weekly Level III aftercare group and begin to learn about relapse. They are strongly encouraged at this time to obtain a sponsor from the 12-step program to begin step work and develop their own recovery program in preparation for discharge. For Level I, II and III, there is the opportunity to attend an on campus AA meeting one time a week as an introduction to the 12-step program. Volunteers from the AA/NA community conduct the weekly meetings in accordance with the 12-step guidelines and traditions.
Alateen groups are also offered on a weekly basis to youth who do not have a significant use history, but come from addicted based families.
On-going Recovery
Youth do not graduate from this program. They are in it for their entire stay. Statistics indicate that youth are more likely to stay clean and sober if they continually work at something that is realistic and attainable. Recovery offers a tangible resource where they can feel accountable for themselves as well as helping others. The discharge plan for each youth includes resources for on-going recovery.
