NCJ Number
66809
Date Published
Unknown
Length
10 pages
Annotation
DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION OR TREATMENT AGENCIES CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY FULFILL THEIR GOALS AND SERVE THEIR CLIENTS IF THEIR INTERVENTION PROCESS AND CONCEPTS ARE CONSISTENTLY DEFINED AND REGULARLY EVALUATED.
Abstract
INTERVENTION REFERS TO THE PROCESS BY WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP OFFERS SERVICES TO CLIENTS SO THAT THEY MAY CHOOSE TO CHANGE THEIR SELF-DESTRUCTIVE WAY OF LIFE. INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE PROGRAM'S CONCEPT OF INTERVENTION AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION WILL RESULT IN CHAOS FOR BOTH CLIENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS; THE AGENCY'S CONCEPT ITSELF MAY BE AN IDEAL, UNTRANSLATABLE TO THE PRACTICAL LEVEL. A LACK OF CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE PROGRAM'S CONCEPT AND THE INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBER'S CONCEPT OF INTERVENTION CAN CREATE AN AWKWARD AND CONFUSING OVERALL AGENCY IMAGE AND MINIMIZE CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING AMONG CLIENTS AND STAFF. DIFFICULTIES ARE ALSO ENCOUNTERED WHEN GUIDELINES FOR STAFF MEMBERS DO NOT STEM FROM THE SAME PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATION AS CLIENT GUIDELINES (E.G., STAFF MEMBERS BRAG ABOUT CONSUMING LIQUOR WHILE PROHIBITING CLIENTS TO 'GET HIGH'--A DOUBLE STANDARD). MOREOVER, STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS IN THE ACTUAL TREATMENT PROCESS THE CLIENT EXPERIENCES MAY BE DETRIMENTAL. QUESTIONS WHICH MUST BE CONSIDERED ARE THE CRITERIA FOR MOVEMENT THROUGH LEVELS OF TREATMENT AND THE APPROACH USED TOWARD CLIENTS. A PROGRAM CONCEPT CAN BE BUILT THROUGH STAFF TRAINING SEMINARS WHICH CAN ALSO HELP TO BRIDGE INDIVIDUAL STAFF DIFFERENCES. A SUPPORTING PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND GUIDELINES THAT ARE DEFINED, AND, IN THE POSTIMPLEMENTATION STAGE, ARE EVALUATED FOR THEIR EFFECTIVENESS, CAN LEAD TO A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. A BRIEF CHECKLIST AND MODEL STRUCTURE DIAGRAM ARE INCLUDED. (MHP)