Moments of Change – Innovations in Integrated Treatment – 36^th annual conference

Attended by over 900 professionals in the field of addiction treatment, this conference provides leading research and intervention practices for those addressing the needs of those with addiction related disorders.  The Family Foundation School was the ONLY therapeutic boarding school represented at this year’s conference.   A sampling of sessions that spoke most specifically to the work done at FFS include:

• Drug Use today: “legal high designer drugs and emerging natural substances”
• Hunger Pains: Helping Adolescents with Eating Disorders and Self Injury
• Update on Videogame Addiction
• Combing Spirituality, Reinforcement Theory and the 12 Steps of Recovery
• Utilizing the 12-Steps in an Experiential Wilderness Therapy Model

One meaningful take away for me was from the first session referenced above – about how challenging it is to stay ahead of the curve with both the availability of the “new drug” and the creativity of our kids to find substances that not only get them high, but places them at such high risk for harm, especially thru the natural substances.    Another take away was the legitimacy and impact of videogaming as an addictive behavior with significant implications for the youth of today.

- Attended by Jeff Brain, Dean of Admissions

Visit to Palm Beach Institute, Palm Beach, FL

Visited the treatment team at PBI as we currently have two students at FFS who were patients at this excellent adolescent drug and alcohol treatment center.  I am always struck with their personal attention, how much they really know the kids and want to follow them after they leave PBI.  Their treatment care and intervention is top notch and its always a pleasure to hear their thoughts about how to meet the needs of adolescents with significant drug or alcohol dependence.

- Jeff Brain, Dean of Admissions