TreatmentPrevention Programs Interview

Treatment and prevention programs for substance abuse are a vital part of every community.  Programs should be incorporated as a means of meeting the needs of those who are addicted.  Professional mental health clinicians should be able to address the role, which people are benefiting, options and key features, and provide statistical information with regard to the success and the relapse rates of participants of said program.  Treatment and prevention should be examined for the evaluation of perspective and premise upon which a program is designed and functions. TreatmentPrevention Programs Interview

Brooklyn, New York is one of the largest cities in the United States.  It is noted for its high energy, fast pace, and high level of congested living.  Substance abuse and addiction make it difficult to achieve any form of holistic living within the community.  Substance abuse prevention programs are lacking. As a result, an individual may not have the mental capability needed to recognize an addiction, in turn making the person a burden on the taxpayers.  An addict never sets out to become addicted.  Fortunately, treatment programs are available to meet the needs of everyone.  Some are privately funded facilities, while other institutions receive federal and state grants coupled with state compensation.  Whenever choosing a facility for treatment, it is imperative that one understand the nature and design of the program, the expectations of the client, and the goal of the program as a whole.  Informed choices create a foundation for success.

Realization Center, Inc.
The treatment center chosen for the purpose of this project is the Realization Center, Inc located in Brooklyn, New York.  The Realization Center is an outpatient treatment center that was established over twenty years ago.  The facility offers therapy and treatment in the areas of chemical dependency, eating disorders, gambling, sexual addictions, and domestic violence.  It is also qualified to handle clientele with dual diagnoses relating to substance abuse.  Ms. Anderson was contacted on February 11, 2010, to discuss different levels of treatment offered by the Realization Center, as well as to discuss the program in general and its philosophies.

The Realization Center fully respects the privacy and confidentiality of its clientele which is a good indicator that professionalism is adhered to.  Some individuals are reluctant to discuss personal matters if they feel exposed or apprehensive about their private information being leaked into the ears or hands of undeserving, unprofessional people.  The Realization Center provides an intake service that can be accomplished either in person or over the telephone.  This added convenience makes it easier for the person in need of services to establish contact when able.  Delays in contact on behalf of the addicted person could be related to physical sickness due to symptoms of withdrawal, in which case the intake worker would need to know.  The Realization Center focuses on the individual needs of the client.  The one true goal of the Realization Center is to see their clients succeed through recovery and regaining control of their lives by way of a positive environment.

The Interview
The practicing philosophy of the Realization Center deems that addiction affects the person as a whole (personal communication, 11 February 2010).  In order for an individuals addictions to be gotten under control, the entire person must be examined and treated.  This includes physical ailments, mental challenges and disorders, and spiritual struggles from within.  Physical ailments are often the prodigy of an ongoing addiction.  Various infections, colds, flues, and nutritional issues are all symptoms of addiction.  A physical body cannot function at full capacity when it is being severely broken down by foreign substances and chemicals at toxic levels.  The mental psyche of all clientele is evaluated and assessed for the possibility of mental disorders.  It is not uncommon for an addict to have a dual diagnosis, co-morbid condition, where the substance abuse issue would become secondary to the primary problem.  The spiritual being within all patients is addressed through the twelve-step treatment programs.  Each person identifies a Higher Power to be what he or she imagines it to be.  Not all clients are Christians therefore, no particular religion is endorsed by the Realization Center (personal communication, 2010).
   
The Realization Center treats people from all over the country.  Despite the fact that it is an outpatient facility, their reputation far precedes them in a positive light.  Each patient is viewed as an individual with unique needs and circumstances (personal communication, 2010) and a treatment plan is constructed to meet those needs and goals.  No one course of treatment is universal.  The Realization Center treats men, women, children and adolescents, gays and lesbians, transgender clients, and the elderly.  Treatment is available through individual counseling, group therapy, education, family therapy, and a twelve-step program.  The Realization Center has a style and tact that formulates not only friends and family into the plan of treatment, but it also includes the workplace. There is not one aspect of the individual client that goes unnoticed as part of the recovery process. They base their success rate on the level of determination and dedication of the client.  If a client wants a full recovery, then he or she will do whatever is required to achieve it (personal communication, 2010)

Theoretical Explanation
The Realization Center functions using the Humanistic theoretical perspective.  This theory indicates that one was born knowing the difference in right and wrong, but societal influence lured the individual away from making the right decisions.  Skinner, renowned founder of the Humanistic perspective, indicated that a person naturally is drawn to make good and just choices because it is in his or her nature (Dombeck, 2006).  The Realization Center advocates a clients involvement in deriving a treatment plan for recovery.  The program looks beyond the medical perspective and allows for more focus and emphasis to be put onto ones life experiences.  It delves into finding the answers to why certain behaviors were executed and what influenced the choices to do so.  With this in mind, it is then the job of the therapist to help the client overcome the negative influence of addiction as to aid the client in being able to make healthier choices.  The Humanist theory in short believes that an individual can fix themselves.

Conclusion
Preventing substance abuse addiction is a difficult undertaking, but finding a good facility to meet the recovery needs of a family member or friend can become an overwhelming task.  The Realization Center is a unique program for recovery that incorporates every facet of the addicts life into a holistic approach for success.  Family, friends, co-workers, and the like are all encouraged to take part in the individual addicts recovery.  This not only provides support to the client in recovery, but it helps to educate those who are constant figures in the clients life.  Different therapies and programs are initiated and based on the needs of the patient.  The Realization Center believes that there is no such thing as a universal program of recovery.

It appears as though the Realization Center is on the right path in its own Reich.  The program facility goes above and beyond what is ethically expected of a treatment facility.  No stone is left unturned.  The staff is qualified and trained to address any need or problem that arises, and they are available to each client twenty-four hours a day.  Crisis numbers and intervention are also integrated parts of the program.  Addictions of all kinds are treated as are people of all ages, sexual orientation, and genders.  The Realization Center lives up to its name by realizing that prevention and treatment are deserving of justification.  One person cannot make anothers recovery a success.  It is the sole responsibility of the client to want the recover whole-heartedly and be willing to put forth every effort necessary to make the right choices to earn the reward of success.

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