Aspen Achievement Academy Participates in Outdoor Behavioral Health Study
Study shows conclusive results on program's effectiveness in treating substance abuse issues.
Cerritos, CA (PRWEB) February 22, 2007
Aspen Achievement Academy, a licensed outdoor treatment program for adolescents, recently participated in an independent research study that found that teens struggling with substance abuse report reduced frequency of use and a greater inclination to work on the emotional or social issues that trigger their behavior following treatment in an outdoor program.
The study was conducted by the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Research Cooperative (OBHRC) at the University of Minnesota and was designed to determine to what degree outdoor behavioral healthcare (OBH) program students change over the course of treatment and to what degree they maintain these changes after leaving the program. It is the nation's first large-scale study to specifically address the effectiveness of OBH programs in treating teen substance use issues.
Aspen Achievement Academy was one of five programs to participate in the research, and has been an active member in OBHRC's outcome studies research for several years.
"Aspen Achievement Academy is committed to providing struggling teens and their families the most effective, proven treatments available," said Gil Hallows, an executive committee member of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Industry Council (OBHIC) and executive director of Aspen Achievement Academy. "This recent study provides some significant insights into the achievements of outdoor behavioral health programs and reinforces our belief in their ability to help teens understand their substance abuse problems so that they have a chance at recovery."
Findings showed that the majority of participating teens with serious or significant substance use issues who previously were rated as "passive" about or "reluctant" to address problem behaviors became "actively interested" in working on or overcoming the issues triggering their substance use after attending an outdoor behavioral healthcare program. Other findings included significant reductions in symptoms of pre-existing depression, anxiety and stress after attending a program.
"The study demonstrates that state-licensed and nationally accredited private outdoor behavioral health programs can positively inspire or motivate adolescents to actively think about why they use or abuse drugs or alcohol," said lead researcher Keith C. Russell, Ph. D., who directs the OBHRC. "While we acknowledge that there is no overnight cure for substance abuse, these programs can provide an important first step for adolescents to address and overcome the often serious emotional and behavioral issues underlying their actions."
The study was composed of 872 adolescents ages 13-17 diagnosed with: a substance use issue (75.2 percent); both a substance use and mental health issue (50 percent); or only a mental health issue (20 percent). Prior to participation in the program, 44 percent of teens demonstrated no willingness to address the issues that triggered their substance abuse, 30 percent were reluctant to take action, and 28 percent were actively trying to address problems important to their well-being. Average treatment length for participants was approximately 45 days. At discharge from the program, 90 percent of the students had shifted to actively addressing problems that triggered their substance use.
At a six-month follow-up interval, participants reported significant reductions in the frequency of substance use, especially among those who were admitted to residential aftercare programs. Students who originally reported the most severe symptoms showed the greatest improvement. In terms of treatment satisfaction, 67 percent of the teens participating in the study said they would recommend an outdoor behavioral healthcare program to a friend in trouble and 58 percent stated their problems were much improved.
Located in Loa, Utah, Aspen Achievement Academy is one of the few wilderness programs nationwide to be selected a top teen drug treatment program by Drug Strategies, a Washington, DC-based research institute. The Academy serves adolescents 13-17 and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Aspen Achievement Academy's innovative, nurturing and effective approach has been written about in the award-winning book "Shouting at the Sky" and featured in documentaries in the United Kingdom.
Aspen Achievement Academy is a part of Aspen Education Group, the nation's leading provider of education programs for struggling or underachieving young people. With over 30 programs in 12 states and the United Kingdom, Aspen provides to students and families a comprehensive range of therapeutic interventions, including wilderness therapy, boarding schools, residential treatment, and weight-loss programs.
Aspen's success in helping young people overcome substance abuse has been documented and featured in international media, including the United States' nationally syndicated "Dr. Phil," A&E Television Network's documentary series "INTERVENTION™" and in the United Kingdom on ITV's "Britain's Youngest Boozers." Aspen is a division of CRC Health Group, the nation's largest chemical dependency and related behavioral health organization. For more information about Aspen Education Group, please visit www. aspeneducation. com or call 888-972-7736. For more information about Aspen Academy visit www. aspenacademy. com or call 800-283-8334. For more information about the OBHRC study, visit http://www. obhrc. org (http://www. obhrc. org).
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