Substance use treatment Pennsylvania

Substance Use Treatment for Different Needs

Matching care to age and life stage:

• Teenagers who use drugs often also have other mental health problems, which can complicate drug abuse treatment.
• Pregnant women require a full assessment of their physical and mental health needs. The treatment plan should include a comprehensive prenatal care program that helps the woman avoid behaviors that put her pregnancy at risk (such as using drugs or alcohol).
• Older adults who use substances may need services to address problems with balance, memory loss, falls, medication management, isolation, and physical disability.
• Veterans who have substance use disorders can also have co-occurring mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that should be addressed during treatment. Programs that treat veterans must offer treatment that is tailored to meet their specific needs.

Matching care to other special situations:

• People with infectious diseases such as hepatitis or HIV/AIDS need an integrated treatment approach. They may require services for both medical and mental health problems.
• Many people who have substance use disorders also smoke cigarettes, which can complicate treatment.
• People with disabilities sometimes require special services such as transportation or interpreters to help them receive and benefit from treatment.

Medicines can be used to treat opioid addiction (e.g., methadone) or alcohol addiction (e.g., naltrexone). Some patients who use opiates or alcohol also have other mental disorders that require medication or psychotherapy. It is important for the entire treatment team to work together to provide the best care for each patient.

Behavioral therapies help people with substance abuse addictions identify and change their behaviors associated with drug abuse. Behavioral therapy can also help people avoid drugs and remain drug-free.

Pregnant and Postpartum Women

Pregnant women who use substances get medical treatment for complications of substance use. Substance abuse treatment providers help pregnant women deal with cravings during their pregnancy, and may work closely with the woman's primary health care provider to ensure a healthy pregnancy. A woman who is pregnant and using alcohol or drugs should tell her doctor immediately. Treatment of pregnant women can begin as soon as possible after identification of pregnancy. Women receiving treatment for substance use disorders while pregnant must receive appropriate medical services throughout their pregnancies.

A pregnant woman who is experiencing opioid withdrawal symptoms should seek care immediately. Withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable and may interfere with the mother's ability to eat well, rest well, or focus on her baby's needs. The best way to care for your baby while you are pregnant is to receive treatment for your substance use disorder.

There are several ways to manage OUD during pregnancy: Medicines such as methadone or buprenorphine can be used to treat opioid dependence during pregnancy. Your health care provider may recommend that you take one of these medicines daily until your baby is born.

Women may be more successful in their recovery if they are treated by counselors with an understanding of gender differences, including physical and sexual abuse. Women who have been abused often find it difficult to enter treatment or to stay in treatment without a counselor who understands their problems. In addition to offering traditional counseling, substance use treatment providers should offer women services related to parenting issues, such as providing information about child care options, family planning, and other ways to help with the challenges of being a parent.

Veterans

VA substance use programs include outpatient therapy (individual counseling and group sessions), medication, residential treatment, and aftercare support. Your primary care doctor can help you determine what type of care is right for you. VA's goal is to offer a full range of services in an integrated program that offers seamless transitions from one level to another.

Veterans with substance use problems may have other medical conditions or psychological issues that also need treatment. VA programs include special units and staff members who are trained to treat Veterans suffering from more than one health problem at the same time.

The most common form of substance use care offered by VA, outpatient programs are available for Veterans seeking intensive treatment but who do not need 24-hour care. Outpatient services may include individual counseling, group sessions, and education about substance abuse, relapse prevention strategies, coping skills, and social skills. Outpatient programs may also offer specialized treatments such as dual diagnosis therapy (for patients with both drug use problems and mental health issues), marriage and family counseling, and job training.

Some Veterans need the structure of a residential program to help them stay on track with their recovery. Residential programs include group therapy sessions, individual counseling, medication management, and relapse prevention planning.

VA provides comprehensive substance use disorder services for women Veterans, including individual counseling, group therapy, medically managed detoxification, residential rehabilitation treatment, relapse prevention and aftercare support.

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has established a system for providing health care and counseling services to veterans who have substance use problems. These services are offered in a variety of settings ranging from outpatient clinics to residential live-in facilities. In addition, there may be assistance available for Veterans who do not meet the criteria for admission into one of these facilities but still require substance use treatment.

Older Adults

Aging changes how alcohol and medicines affect a person's body. Older people are at higher risk for harmful interactions when mixing prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications with alcohol. People may not realize that drinking even small amounts of alcohol while taking some types of medicine can cause dangerous reactions, such as dizziness, confusion, or loss of coordination.

The aging process affects how the body breaks down alcohol and medicines, so a person's ability to metabolize these substances is reduced. As a result, it takes longer for an older adult to break down alcohol. Because of this, older people may become intoxicated more quickly than younger adults do after drinking the same amount of alcohol.

Older adults can experience the same negative consequences as younger people when they misuse substances, but are at greater risk of injury and illness.

Older adults with opioid use disorder can be safely treated with buprenorphine and methadone. For older adults, the goal should be to achieve a level of treatment for which they remain comfortable while maintaining abstinence from illicit opioids.

The older adult must have age-appropriate assessments and care plans. If older adults have multiple health problems, they may need to be assessed by a multidisciplinary team including mental health professionals and other specialists.

Older adults who become dependent on alcohol or other drugs face many challenges. They may be dealing with failing health and loss of independence. Older adults are at risk for serious medical problems if they continue to abuse substances.

Adolescents

Adolescent treatment works best when families are involved in their teen's recovery. Family involvement can help teens stay sober as well as learn more about their own behavior patterns.

The main goal of adolescent substance use treatment is to help teens develop the skills needed to deal with the issues they face in life so that they will not need to rely on drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. In addition to drug use and abuse, other problems addressed during treatment include depression, anger management, self-esteem issues, family conflict, and school failure.

Adolescent addiction treatment programs use evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help adolescents gain skills in order to recognize and avoid drug use triggers and to cope with stress in a healthy way. CBT includes helping teens identify their emotions, thoughts and behaviors that are associated with substance use problems.

Family therapy is also often incorporated into treatment for adolescent addiction as it helps family members understand how their actions and behaviors might be impacting the teen's ability to overcome his or her substance use disorder. Family therapy sessions also help parents learn new parenting strategies so they can better support their teen in recovery.

Treatment programs for adolescents should:

• Be developmentally appropriate.
• Incorporate evidence-based practices.
• Involve parents in treatment.

People With Serious Mental Illness

When substance use and mental illness are present together, either can complicate the diagnosis and treatment of the other condition. People with a mental disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder may self-medicate with alcohol or drugs, believing that this will relieve their symptoms.

Drug abuse also can precipitate symptoms of psychiatric disorders. For example, stimulant abuse might cause mania-like psychosis in people who have no history of manic episodes, and cocaine withdrawal may produce severe depression. People with a substance use disorder frequently report mood disturbances, including anxiety and irritability, even after they stop using drugs.

The severity of mental illness may be underestimated during the acute phase of drug intoxication or withdrawal when symptoms can mimic psychosis or major depression.

If you have a mental illness and are abusing drugs and/or alcohol, it is very important that you get treatment right away. You will need treatment for both problems.

It is important to treat both your mental health and drug abuse problem at the same time. This is called integrated treatment. It has been found to be more effective than treating one problem and then the other. This approach should include a range of treatments and services directed at improving your ability to function in your daily life.

People Leaving Jail or Prison

Treatment that starts in jail should not end with release. Treatment should continue post-incarceration. Continuing treatment helps former prisoners manage their problems in the community. Treatment post-incarceration can help former prisoners maintain their sobriety, reduce crime, and re-establish ties to family members and friends.

Upon leaving jail or prison, individuals who abused drugs before incarceration often face significant obstacles to maintaining abstinence and reintegrating into the community. These challenges include the need to find housing and employment, and the absence of a social support network or family.

A growing number of treatment programs are designed for people who have been recently released from prison or jail. Studies show that intensive drug abuse treatment can help these individuals remain in recovery after they leave jail or prison. Inmates who received intensive treatment while incarcerated and continued with the same treatment upon release had better outcomes than those who did not receive continuing care.

Incarceration also presents an opportunity for screening and assessing inmates for drug abuse and mental health problems. Treatment can then begin while the individual is still in prison or jail.

Finding Specialized Care in Pennsylvania

Pregnant women who inject drugs: Pregnant women with substance use disorders are at risk for severe medical complications, including premature birth and neonatal abstinence syndrome. This syndrome occurs in newborns exposed to opioids and other substances in utero.

Pregnant women who use drugs or alcohol: Pregnant women should be evaluated and treated according to the severity of their substance use disorder. If a pregnant woman is assessed for residential services, the provider should ensure that the facility meets the special needs of pregnant women.

Overdose survivors: A person who survives an overdose is at risk for experiencing another one. Overdoses can be prevented with early access to substance use treatment and MAT.

Substance use treatment by Pennsylvania city

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