Intensive Outpatient Program
Treatment Programs
NCWC offers day, evening, and weekend programming. We integrate Western concepts of healing and 12 step principles of change with Eastern and alternative philosophies of healing into our services. Each program includes individualized treatment planning, educational lectures, stress reduction exercises, family programming, individual/family counseling. Contact us for more information about our programs and services.
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) 5 weeks, 20 sessions. Designed to help clients establish and maintain abstinence from chemical abuse or dependency.
- Supportive Outpatient Program (SOP) 5 weeks, 10 sessions. Designed for clients needing less structure or as a relapse prevention program.
- Dual Diagnosis IOP. Individualized programming follows the format on an IOP with additional features to address needs of substance abuse and mental health diagnosis.
- Aftercare (continuing care) services. Research indicates the strongest predictor of success is the time spent in supportive therapy. Aftercare is an ongoing support group for program participants that helps clients maintain treatment gains and to develop strength and function.
About substance abuse, dependency and co-occurring diagnosis
Drug and alcohol abuse is a major public health concern that takes a tremendous toll on our society, communities, and families. While the path to dependency is initially a voluntary one, over time, individuals lose their ability to abstain from use without help. Substance dependency is a complex disorder with many devastating consequences if left untreated. The good news is that research is clear about principles of effective treatment including:
- No single treatment is appropriate for all individuals.The best treatment programs provide a combination of therapies and other services to meet the needs of the individual patient.
- Treatment needs to be readily available.
- Treatment must attend to multiple needs of the individual, not just drug use.
- Multiple courses of treatment may be required for success.
- Remaining in treatment for an adequate period of time is critical for treatment effectiveness.
It is not uncommon for issues of depression, anxiety or other mental health concerns to accompany substance disorders. In fact, 40 percent of substance abusers have a "dual diagnosis," or “co-occurring” mental health diagnosis. NCWC offers programming to address mental health issues separately or through dual diagnosis programming. Our continuum of care includes a thorough assessment and a customized treatment regimen addressing all aspects of an individual’s functioning.
Substance Abuse Screening and Assessment
Assessment is a prerequisite to all counseling and program involvement. The purpose of the assessment session is to gather as much information as possible about the presenting concern, discuss with the client the range of possible interventions, determine an appropriate plan of action, and to motivate and move the client in the direction of solutions to address the presenting concern. Assessment includes a psych-social questionnaire to assist the clinician in defining the presenting problems. In some cases, other screening instruments may accompany the assessment to screen for specific concerns (for example, major depression inventory, or Beck anxiety inventory).
One of every 8 Americans has a significant problem
with alcohol or drugs.
Do you have a drug or alcohol problem? Listen to the opinions of others with an open mind and consider the following:
- Have you experienced a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control your use?
- Have people annoyed you by criticizing or commenting on your drug or alcohol use?
- Have you ever felt bad or guilty about use of drugs or alcohol?
- Do you experience recurring substance related problems (at school, work, home)?
- Do you use in situations that are physically hazardous (driving, operating machinery while impaired)?
One or more “yes” answers may indicate a substance abuse disorder. For a more thorough assessment about substance abuse concerns and treatment options, please call to schedule an appointment.
Self Help
NCWC encourages involvement in community self-help groups and hosts an open AA meeting on Tuesday evenings. 12 step programming can be a powerful adjunct to agency programming and has a strong tradition in Austin. These groups are free, available daily, and a place to find support and fellowship. There are other types of community support available as well, ask us about options.
Medications in Treatment
Medications can be a helpful bridge to abstinence particularly in early recovery as clients withdrawal from physically addictive substances or address disorders of mood. In general, we believe our society is overly medicated and we strive to help clients to reduce or achieve independence from a reliance on pharmaceutical interventions. We work closely with ASAM (American Association of Addiction Medicine) certified Physicians and promote an appropriate role of medication in substance abuse and mental health treatment. These Physicians are knowledgeable of the complexities of drug addiction and drug interventions and are advocates of quality addiction treatment. NCWC advocates that psychotherapy and treatment accompany pharmaceuticals in treating mental health and substance disorders.
