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Addictive Diseases Services

Alcohol and other drug addiction is a chronic illness, characterized by a strong and persistent desire for a substance of choice and loss of control over its use, even in the face of harsh consequences.  Addiction is not cured, but it can be controlled, and people do recover and lead drug-free lives.  Left untreated, addiction is often associated with teen pregnancy, poor school performance and dropping out, job loss, family disruption, domestic violence, crime, illness, disability and death.

Addiction treatment programs help people of all ages withdraw safely from the physical effects of the drug, learn to control their drug dependence, regain skills they may have lost or develop new skills, and begin to develop a new life.  The services a person receives depends on a professional determination of level of need and the services and other community resources available.  Services vary by region and may include:

• Outpatient Services – evaluation, diagnosis, comprehensive assessment of needs, counseling, consumer and family education
• Crisis services – telephone or face-to-face intervention with the consumer and family to address immediate crisis and link to services.  Available around the clock and in any setting
• Detoxification – helps adults and teens at risk of complications withdraw safely from the physical affects of alcohol and drug use.
• Residential Programs –  intensive treatment and structure to help people live a drug-free life style, for adults or adolescents with severe addictive disease 
• Special “ready for work” programs – treatment for women on welfare who are unable to find jobs due to alcohol or other drug problems.  Includes intensive outpatient treatment, continuing care and residential treatment with a therapeutic childcare component.
• DUI Schools – risk reduction programs for people who have been arrested for driving or boating while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, or for possession of illegal drugs.  

Community Services

Adult Services

MHDDAD contracts with providers in all 5 regions to provide outpatient and residential substance abuse treatment to men and women who are struggling with the disease of addiction. To locate a community mental health service near you, go to www.mygcal or call the Georgia Crisis Access Line at 1-800-715-4225. If you have questions or need further assistance with accessing services, please contact your Regional Office.

• Services
  • Crisis Intervention (telephone or mobile) 
  • Diagnostic Assessment (clinic-based)
  • Physician Assessment (clinic-based)
  • Nursing Assessment (clinic-based)
  • Medication Administration (clinic-based)
  • Individual/Group/Family Counseling (clinic-based)
  • Community Support Individual (community-based)
• Specialty Services
  • Ambulatory Substance Abuse Detoxification
  • Peer Support Services
  • Substance Abuse Day Treatment
  • Residential Supports
  • Supported Employment
  • Residential Substance Detoxification
  • Opioid Maintenance Treatment
  • Consumer Family Assistance
  • Respite
  • Housing Supplements

Crisis Stabilization Program (medically monitored residential)

Inpatient Treatment (hospital)

Women Specific Services:

MHDDAD contracts with providers in all 5 regions to provide outpatient and residential substance abuse treatment to women. The Ready for Work (RFW) Programs are designed to eliminate substance abuse as a barrier to employment for pregnant and parenting women, provide an array of services that address risk factors for relapse and that enable consumers to achieve abstinence, maintain ongoing recovery, avoid illegal activity, maintain suitable employment, obtain safe housing following discharge, and meet family roles and responsibilities.  The RFW target population is pregnant and parenting women with children under the age of 13 years old with substance abuse disorders.  RFW programs also provide services for women who are at high risk for relapse, are sufficiently medically stable to participate in intensive outpatient and residential treatment, and who may have one or more of the following risk factors:

Pregnant women will be given priority status;

• Highest priority is given to women who meet the needy families definition;
• Involvement with the criminal justice system;
• History of relapse; and/or secondary medical or psychiatric disorder that can be safely managed in a substance abuse treatment environment; women with an open child protected service case.

Services for women in treatment :   Services include but are not limited to: assessment and screening, group therapy, and therapeutic interventions for women that may address issues of relationships, sexual and physical abuse, parenting, and child care.  Therapeutic interventions for children in custody of women in treatment address developmental needs and issues of sexual and physical abuse and neglect.  Case management and transportation are provided to ensure that women and their children have access to services provided.  Employment assistance includes job training, job matching, and other supports to allow clients to gain work experience and demonstrate their employability for the competitive job market.  The average length of stay is three to twelve months. Aftercare services are provided to women leaving RFW program services.

Child and Adolescent Services

Intensive Residential Treatment (IRT’s) - MHDDAD funds two Adolescent Intensive Residential Treatment centers that provide twenty-four hour supervised residential treatment program for Children and Adolescents ages 13-17 year olds, who are in need of a structured residence due to substance abuse located in the geographic metro part of the State and southern part of the State in order to afford statewide access. 

Group Homes- MHDDAD funds four Adolescent AD Group Homes that provide a structured temporary living situation for youth 13-17 years olds dealing with substance abuse related disorders.  The average length of stay will be based on the needs of the youth but it is anticipated to be 6 months.  Each group home has an outpatient AD treatment component and services are gender specific, individualized and based on the adolescent’s individualized resiliency plan.

DUI Intervention Program

One of the functions of the Office of Addictive Diseases is to implement the Georgia laws concerning driving under the influence (DUI). All DUI offenders are required to attend DUI School, have a clinical evaluation, and complete any treatment recommended by the evaluator. This amounts to 50,000 people a year! The Department of Human Resources determines the Rules that implement the law and the DUI Intervention Program implements the Rules through established procedures. This includes determining whom the clinical evaluators and treatment providers are, i.e. who meets the requirements to become a provider of these services. All of this information is available on the web site www.mop.uga.edu

Current Initiatives Office of Addictive Diseases

• (SBIRT) Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral & Treatment.  MHDDAD is The primary purpose of the SBIRT Medical Residency Program is to develop and implement training programs to teach medical residents skills to provide evidence-based screening, brief intervention, brief treatment and referral to specialty treatment for patients who have, or are at risk for, a substance use disorder. Another purpose of the program is to promote adoption of SBIRT through delivery of training to local and Statewide medical communities for wider dissemination of SBIRT practices.

• Methamphetamine Specific Treatment
  Methamphetamine treatment services, utilizing the Matrix Model, are being offered to methamphetamine addicted parents in the following identified counties: Dade, Walker, Chattooga, Floyd, Bartow, Cherokee, Screven, Rabun, Habersham, Paulding, Jackson, Troup, Gwinnett, Hall, Bibb, Stephens, and Barrow. These counties are considered “pilot sites” and will be evaluated for possible replication in subsequent years. Listed below are the MHDDAD Regions and the contracted providers.
  

  The objectives of these new pilot programs are to implement outpatient treatment programs for methamphetamine abusers who are residents of identified Methamphetamine Affected Areas. The program seeks to increase access to treatment for methamphetamine-addicted parents involved with the Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS), eliminate or reduce the abuse of or dependency on methamphetamines in identified methamphetamine-impacted areas, and reduce substance use abuse among children of substance abusers in the impacted catchment areas identified herein.

• SAC/SIG combined grants

Georgia is one of three states awarded both the Child and Adolescent State Infrastructure Grant (CASIG) in 2004, from SAMHSA to build and enhance capacity to deliver services to youth with SED, substance abuse disorders and co-occurring disorders.

The State Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Coordination Grant (SAC) in 2005, from SAMHSA to enhance capacity to provide effective, accessible and affordable services to youth with SED, substance abuse disorders and co-occurring disorders. By March 2006, MHDDAD granted permission to combine the two grants to improve mechanisms that support behavioral health services delivery system.

Primary Goals & Objectives:

• Develop a shared vision/strategic plan across child-serving agencies for delivery of behavioral health services.
  
• Develop funding strategies to coordinate, improve and maximize capacity of statewide interagency service systems.
  
• Develop and expand specially trained workforce to provide behavioral health services to youth.
  
• Promote youth/family involvement in the design and implementation of the behavioral health service delivery system.
  
• Participate/share in learning with state agencies, stakeholders and other states to leverage training, support, intervention adoption and evaluation/research.

Treatment Clubhouse for Kids

• MHDDAD funds 7 unique Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse “Clubhouse” pilot sites.  These programs provide a comprehensive substance abuse treatment model designed to engage children and adolescents and their families in their own recovery.

  The Clubhouse is a supportive environment where consumers are members.  Staff and members work together to perform the jobs of the clubhouse and participate in clinical sessions, social outings, educational supports, and specific clubhouse activities. To access these services contact call

  The following services are offered at each pilot site:

  Core Services	Recovery Support Services
  Comprehensive Biopsychosocial Assessment/Diagnostic Assessment and Individualized Resiliency Planning	Peer Support Services
  Physician Assessment and Care	Substance Abuse Aftercare Services
  Nursing evaluation and Services	Education Program
  Crisis Intervention Services	Employment Program
  Individual substance abuse therapy	Clubhouse Activities/ Social Club
  Group Substance Abuse Counseling
  Family Substance Abuse Counseling

  (Providers)

  Provider Name	Address	Phone	Contact Person (s)
  Highland Rivers	1710 White House Drive, Suite 204 Dalton, Ga. 30720-8523	706-270-5000	Frank Aaron Lynn Bishop
  Pathways CSB	122-C Gordon Commercial Drive LaGrange, Ga. 30240-5754	706-845-4045	Marcia Capshaw
  Avita Community Partners	4331 Thurmond Tanner Rd. Flowery Branch, Ga. 30542	678-513-5701	Carol Perkins Betty Guilfoile
  Cobb CSB	3830 South Cobb Drive, Suite 300 Smyrna, Ga. 30080-5535	770-429-5000	Tod Citron Monica Parker
  South Ga CSB	3120 North Oak Street, Extension, Suite C Valdosta, Ga. 31602-5910	229-671-6102	Sue Gupton Rhett Watson
  New Horizons CSB	2100 Comer Avenue Columbus, Ga. 31904-8725	706-596-5583	Perry Alexander Sherman Whitfield
  CETPA	6020 Dawson Blvd., Suite I Norcross, Ga. 30093	770-662-0249	Pierre Mancini

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to access services

Training

Helpful AD Resources