0. WHAT CHILDREN NEED: Support & Education Services for Children and Youth
Minnesota Children’s Justice Initiative
ITV Presentation: 9/25 & 10/1, 2008
Presented by: Betty Conger LMSW CPC-R
Henry Ford Behavioral Health
Maplegrove Children & Family Program Coordinator

1. Maplegrove History of Service for Children & Families
FREE Children’s Program established in 1990
Adjunct to treatment – community participation
Various settings / partnerships
Volunteer staffed
Children’s Program Parent Component added in 1993
Teen Component added in 2005
Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program Family Education & Support Program added in 2005

2. Workshop Objectives To identify:
Rationale for intervening with families affected by “substance abuse”
Goals of intervention
Intervention strategies & preferred strategy
Curriculum based alternative: key messages

3. Experience has taught us…
Need all systems to address alcohol/drug problems and impact on families
Each system contributes to solution
Systems help and support each other

4. Addiction Premise
Although environmental and social factors will influence the progression and expression of the disease, they are not in any sense causes of addictive drinking.
Alcoholism is caused by biochemical and neurophysiological abnormalities that are passed down from one generation to the next or in some cases acquired through heavy or prolonged drinking

5. Genetic Risk
Prevalence rate of alcoholism is 3-4 times higher when a first degree relative is alcoholic
Adoption does not eliminate genetic risk
Low level of response to alcohol may explain relationship between family history and alcohol problems
** Those who begin use at age 15 are 3 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence, and are harder to treat, than those who begin drinking at the age of 21.

6. Environmental Impact
Living in families with abuse or addiction stressful for all in family:
Unhealthy ways to communicate and cope
Rules (don’t talk, trust, feel) isolate members
Role modeling of alcohol and drug use.
Permissive attitudes toward alcohol and drug use.
Note: A game, entitled High Risk Me Can’t change biological risk but can make choices that take into account this risk by choosing

7. Need for Education & Support Services
Numbers are great: estimated that 1/5 children live with one or more adults who abuse substances.
Many children live with chronic stress, confusion, fear, emotional, physical, or sexual abuse.
Family environment affects development of children and youth.
COA’s most likely to be tomorrow’s clients in mental health or addiction treatment, the juvenile justice system and out of home placements.

8. Survival Patterns: Costly to Health & Well-Being
Defenses are like “ARMOR”
May become life-long coping skills
May interfere with opportunities and healthy relationships
May increase likelihood of becoming CD

9. Why Prevent & Intervene?
Treatment outcomes improve
Relapse Prevention
To improve the health — mental and physical of the entire family
To break the cycle of substance abuse and associated stigma & shame
Family recovery is enhanced: Potential impact on society problems

10. Children’s Issues Worry about health of parent
Being “upset” about unpredictable and inconsistent behavior and lack of support from others
Worry about fights and arguments in family
Being scared and upset by possibility of violence, inappropriate sexual and/or criminal behavior
Being disappointed by broken promises and feeling unloved

11. Common Feelings I feel ashamed I can’t talk about it
I feel “different”
It’s my fault
I can fix it

12. Common Feelings (Con’t)
I’m okay. Really everything’s fine
I’m no good or I’m not good enough
I’m confused
I miss the “old family” (absent parent)

13. Strategies of Intervention
Education
Group work
Family Education, Support
Parent Education & Skill-building
Children’s Groups
Individual therapy
Family Therapy

14. Group Work Children learn they are not alone and offers validation
Group work increases the likelihood of breaking denial
Group work provides safety and protection
Children experience healthy social interactions
Group work builds trust in social situations
Group work allows children to try out new approaches to old problems.

15. Educational Support Groups
PURPOSE: Education about life skills and support
METHOD: Curriculum-based guided activities
FOCUS: Content-based
LEADERS: Specially trained group facilitators
RULES: Confidentiality
FOLLOW UP: When problems arise, referrals made for assessment
DURATION: Time-limited
ENVIRONMENT: Supportive and Nurturing

16. Therapy Groups PURPOSE: Resolution of personal problems
METHOD: Individualized treatment plan
FOCUS: Process based
LEADERS: Licensed Therapist
RULES: Confidentiality
FOLLOW UP: Ongoing assessment
DURATION: May be ongoing
ENVIRONMENT: Supportive, Nurturing, and Confrontive

17. Shifting the Balance RESILIENCE Reducing the Risks
Strengthening Protective Factors

18. Resiliency ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK FROM ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES
ONE WHO WORKS WELL, PLAYS WELL, LOVES
WELL, AND EXPECTS WELL
CHARACTERISTICS:
Social Competence
Problem Solving Skills
Autonomy
Sense of purpose and future

19. Individual Intervention:
What resilient adults say made a difference:
Had a special relationship with an adult who
cared and was nurturing, often a teacher.
Latched onto another “parent” figure or family.
Had somewhere other than home they felt they belonged.
Had activities that were easy to participate in outside the home.
Had a sense of purpose and future.
Ability to make decisions and communicate feelings

20. SAMHSA’s Children’s Program Kit
Goals:
To assist treatment providers and community-based youth-serving systems to educate and support children affected by parental alcohol and drug addiction
To prevent substance abuse and promote resilience in the highest risk youth population
To bring the benefits of hope, healing, and recovery to children of addicted persons

21. Children’s Program Kit
TOPIC AREA GOALS

22. GOALS
Addiction
Help children understand the disease of alcoholism and drug addiction.
Help children realize that addiction is not their fault.
Help children realize that they are not alone; many young people live in families with addiction.
Help middle-school and high-school-age children understand that they are at increased risk for addiction because it tends to run in the family.

23. GOALS
Feelings
Help children identify and express both comfortable and uncomfortable feelings.
Help children understand how feelings may affect them and how they can handle feelings in safe ways.
Help children understand that there are safe people with whom they can share feelings and get support.

24. GOALS Treatment & Recovery
Help children understand that people with addiction need help to recover.
Help children realize they can’t fix their parents problems, but can work on their own self care.
Help children realize that treatment and aftercare assist addicted people to get better.

25. GOALS
Safe People
Help children understand the need for and importance of always staying safe.
Help children understand the characteristics that make people “safe people.”
Help children realize that it’s okay to ask safe people for help.

26. Key Tool for Intervention 7 C’s
I didn’t CAUSE it.
I can’t CURE it.
I can’t CONTROL it.
I can take CARE of myself by:
COMMUNICATING my feelings.
Making healthy CHOICES
CELEBRATING ME!!!

27. What Messages Do Families Need?
You’re not alone.
You deserve help, and there are safe people who can help.
It’s OK to feel your feelings.
Treatment helps, and recovery happens.
It’s not your fault.
Addiction is a disease.
It’s important to talk.
You can live a good life, even if your parent continues to drink.
In addition to the 7C’s, children who participate in groups may come to believe that
Children and parents tell us in surveys they they learned:
I learned that I am not alone
I didn’t cause the use,
It’s a disease,
It’s ok to have feelings (or be angry) and it’s ok to talk
Parents specifically say: it makes a difference because it reduced stress.
And they say their children are often “happier”, have more fun, and there is less conflict at home because of the group intervention.

28. Parents & Caregivers Need:
Adult children of the addicted need support, education on addiction, skill building practice
Common needs:
Setting limits and reasonable consequences
Knowledge of what is “normal” development
Encouragement to have fun with children, share warmth, and build positive / non-critical relationships

29. Additional Parent / Caregiver Needs:
Validation of efforts
Understanding of enabling vs empowering and impact on children (and CD)
Effective communication techniques
Language to talk with children

30. Education & Skills Supportive Environment Opportunities Empowerment Hope

31. For More Information Betty Conger Henry Ford Health System
Maplegrove Community Education
Children’s Program
National Association for Children of Alcoholics

32. Training Regarding Using Children’s Program Kit
December 10 – 11, 2008 (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
Crown Plaza, Brooklyn Center
Registration fees, materials, breakfast and lunch will be paid by CJI; attendees must pay for lodging
Registration forms will be ed in mid-October
To receive a registration form, send an with your name, title, agency name, phone number, and address to
Space for only 50 participants to be chosen based on application criteria