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Meridian’s CARE Program Earns 1st Place for Innovation

Gainesville, FL – July 13, 2009 – Meridian’s CARE (Coping with Addiction through Recovery and Empowerment) Program earned 1st place for Innovative Program in the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association 2009 Substance Abuse Services Best Practices Awards.

The Best Practices Recognition Awards recognize programs that typify “best practice” methods or processes in substance abuse prevention and addiction treatment services. According to Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association (FADAA), these programs’ efforts are shown to measurably improve service outcomes and the quality of life for program participants. A panel of experts with experience in the delivery, administration, research and evaluation of substance abuse programs was convened to review applications based on program rationale, program organization and operation and measures/outcomes.

The CARE Program was designed to provide gender-specific treatment to pregnant and parenting women with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health diagnoses. The program meets the special needs of this population and makes treatment more accessible. To date 134 women and their children have been served.

The CARE Program provides intensive services (4 hrs per day/5 days per week). The State of Florida is currently moving toward programs becoming Dual Diagnosed Capable. However, the CARE Program has been providing Dual Diagnosed Enhanced services since its inception in October 2006. This includes extended length of stay (6-9 months), ongoing aftercare, onsite psychiatric services and the ability to work with clients that have pronounced mental health symptoms that often affect their functioning in traditional substance abuse treatment programs. The clients participate in groups that specifically address their mental health issues and these are included in their relapse prevention planning. The CARE Program provides gender-specific services that address issues of parenting, trauma, child welfare, legal involvement, employment, housing, and domestic violence. The CARE Program uses the following curriculums: Guiding Good Choices, Seek Safety, Anger Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients, and Solutions for Wellness. Additionally, acupuncture is offered to clients to reduce cravings. Childcare is often a barrier to treatment for women; to address this issue the CARE Program allows the women to bring their children with them if needed. The program also runs special groups for the children during the longer holidays of spring break, winter break and summer vacation that address their needs.

The CARE Program often receives direct referrals specifically for our services from the Alachua County Mental Health Court, Alachua County Drug Court, Chrysalis Program, and from Family Court judges when women in child welfare cases have failed at other levels of treatment. All of the pregnant women (14) that have given birth while in treatment have delivered drug-free babies. 80% of the women that did not have custody of their children at the start of treatment regained custody prior to graduation. 94% of those involved in child welfare had their cases successfully closed prior to graduation. Only 3% of the women were employed at admission; however by graduation 62% were gainfully employed. 100% of the women had 90 consecutive days of abstinence at graduation and 100% had stable housing at graduation.

The CARE Program and other award winners will be highlighted during an award ceremony at the FADAA Annual Conference on August 13th in Orlando.