Malibu , California – based Adolescent Drug Rehab Treatment Center , Paradigm …
Paradigm Malibu is the only residential teen drug treatment program owned and operated by licensed mental health professionals. Its core team has over 15 years of experience working together. Paradigm Malibu staff members are available to answer …
Read more on Watch List News (press release)

Delaware Voice: Delaware must expand its drug rehab programs
We have an epidemic of alcoholism and prescription drug abuse in Delaware and the nation. Our state has one state-funded detoxification center on Kirkwood Highway. Citizens come from Sussex, Kent and New Castle County every day for treatment, only to …
Read more on The News Journal

LA County seeks to block release of convicted rapist
Hubbart is among more than 500 offenders in California who have been confined under a law that allows authorities to commit sexually violent predators to state hospitals if they are deemed to have mental disorders that make them likely to reoffend …
Read more on Los Angeles Times

Matt Damon On Child Actors, Ben Affleck, Fame And Acting With 'Esquire'
In March 2008, a warrant was issued for the actor's arrest after he didn't show up to a hearing in relation to a ticket he received for unlawful smoking in Burbank, California. When the actor's lawyer showed up the next day … With a plea deal it is …
Read more on Huffington Post

Question by nunya: Does anyone know at least 4 to 7 places where someone can get long term treatment for drug addiction?
This is for D.A.R.E

Best answer:

Answer by cintchick
The link I included below will take you to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) treatment center locator. SAMHSA is a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services

Enter a city and state, then select “Continue”. You will then be offered options to target your search. In your case, under “Services Provided” you would select “Substance Abuse” and under “Type of Care” you would select “Residential Long-Term Treatment” and/or “Hospital Inpatient”. Again, select “Continue”. You will then see a list of centers with their contact information, as well as a summary of the services they offer and forms of payment accepted.

Add your own answer in the comments!

DGH adds space to treat mental illness, substance abuse
Eight additional inpatient beds allow Shore Behavioral Health to treat both psychiatric conditions and substance abuse disorders [JUMP]more effectively. It also allows for expansion of treatment to make up for closing of the Upper Shore Mental Health …
Read more on My Eastern Shore

Woman to serve 5 years in prison for probation violation
Instead, Judge Tim Bjorkman postponed it to allow Wright to enroll in an inpatient substance abuse treatment program in Rapid City. However, she failed to successfully complete treatment at Full Circle Behavior Management System. Reports Bjorkman read …
Read more on Daily Republic

No conflict found by Bergen County ethics board on appointee to county …
The hospital provides acute care, long-term inpatient psychiatric care and substance abuse treatment. It currently is operated by a private for-profit company that pays about $ 7 million-a-year in rent to the authority under a 19-year lease. With that …
Read more on NorthJersey.com

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!!!

Add your own answer in the comments!

Question by nunya: Does anyone know at least 4 to 7 places where someone can get long term treatment for drug addiction?
This is for D.A.R.E

Best answer:

Answer by cintchick
The link I included below will take you to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) treatment center locator. SAMHSA is a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services

Enter a city and state, then select “Continue”. You will then be offered options to target your search. In your case, under “Services Provided” you would select “Substance Abuse” and under “Type of Care” you would select “Residential Long-Term Treatment” and/or “Hospital Inpatient”. Again, select “Continue”. You will then see a list of centers with their contact information, as well as a summary of the services they offer and forms of payment accepted.

What do you think? Answer below!

Malibu, California-based Adolescent Drug Rehab Treatment Center, Paradigm …
Paradigm Malibu is the only residential teen drug treatment program owned and operated by licensed mental health professionals. Its core team has over 15 years of experience working together. Paradigm Malibu provides a vast array of treatment …
Read more on PR Web (press release)

Malibu Cracks Down on Posh Rehab Facilities
California state law allows residential alcohol and drug treatment facilities serving six or fewer persons to be treated as single-family residences. Cities are allowed to apply zoning ordinances to these facilities as long as the restrictions are the …
Read more on Daily Beast

California Pushes For More Thorough Background Checks for Substance Abuse …
“Obviously we enthusiastically support tough regulations for substance abuse counselors here in California,” said Pax Prentiss, CEO of Passages Addiction Treatment Centers. “Internally, we strictly adhere to state requirements when considering …
Read more on PR Web (press release)