Coping Skills continued
and address their addictions at night several times a week . Treatment includes a medical evaluation , the 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous program with a designated sponsor , medication management , and group and individual therapy sessions . Recreational and creative therapy sessions help patients learn new ways to use their free time , instead of turning to alcohol and other drugs .
Recently , Scott & White ’ s alcohol and drug treatment program for older adults was expanded to three days a week because this population is increasingly involved with alcohol and drug abuse . “ Seniors are a growing population of substance abusers due to loneliness , depression and chronic pain caused by certain illnesses . They ’ re isolated and not as active , and they often
turn to alcohol and other drugs to cope ,” says Craig Franke , MD , medical director of the Scott & White Alcohol and Drug Dependency Treatment Program . “ We work collaboratively with other specialists to address all facets of a patient ’ s problem .”
A safe new treatment Abuse of a class of drugs called opiates is on the rise as well . Opiates are used to relieve pain ; codeine and morphine are opiates used in clinical settings under strict guidelines . However , heroin and opium have become more available than ever as “ street drugs .” Recently , Dr . Franke started a new treatment program for opiate withdrawal called maintenance therapy . The goal is to safely wean addicted patients off the drugs in a controlled setting that avoids risky behavior such as sharing needles . Dr . Franke administers a medication that mimics the effect of opiates by fulfilling the body ’ s craving for the drug . Eligibility for the Suboxone™ clinic at Scott & White ’ s hospital campus includes compliance with strict protocols and involves close daily monitoring . “ Patients must show a level of accountability , responsibility and access to resources for support , such as family , to
“ Seniors are a growing population of substance abusers due to loneliness , depression and chronic pain caused by certain illnesses . They ’ re isolated and not as active , and they often turn to alcohol and other drugs to cope .”
— Craig Franke , MD
help ensure treatment success ,” says Dr . Franke . He is board certified in adult psychiatry and recently completed a fellowship in addiction psychiatry .
If a physician determines that inpatient detoxification or stabilization is medically necessary , inpatient care at Scott & White Inpatient Psychiatry Unit can begin . ( Detoxification may also occur on an outpatient basis , if the physician ’ s assessment indicates that approach .)
“ The nature of this illness and the biology of substance abuse is that a patient will relapse several times before achieving success . This is a safe way to help a person overcome an addiction to opiates ,” says Dr . Franke .
Support for our military Scott & White ’ s Military Homefront Services is one of the largest communitybased mental health programs for military service members and their families . Since it began two years ago , more than 5,000 military personnel and their families have benefited from the unlimited and confidential mental health counseling services that are available from Scott & White Healthcare . Licensed professional counselors trained in the military culture treat patients within the 12-county area .
Scott & White ’ s Military Homefront Services provides individual , marital and family counseling for military members and their families , including child and adolescent counseling . Resilience rejuvenation programs are provided to assist families with reintegration , as well as deployment stress support for children and adolescents . The program also provides trauma resolution counseling for 11 / 5 ( Fort Hood tragedy ) survivors . A new program that specifically provides combat stress treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD ) is currently being developed to support the Triage and Resilience Reset programs at Fort Hood . “ With the current increase in military personnel there is an expanded need for support of military members and their families . That is what we are here to do ,” says Maxine Trent , LPC , LMFT ,
26 THE CATALYST Spring 10 | sw . org