• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Highlands Behavioral Health Hospital Unveils New Substance Abuse Detox Program

Posted on: Wednesday, 19 December 2007, 18:00 CST

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlands Behavioral Health Hospital has announced the expansion of its treatment services to include a detox program. The new program serves teens aged 12 - 17 as well as adults, and the hospital has added several new physicians that specialize in detox, mental health and dual diagnosis (substance abuse and mental illness).

Teen suicide rates nationally are on the increase, and the teen suicide rate in Colorado remains one of the highest in the nation at 17 deaths per 100,000, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). Highlands Behavioral Health Hospital CEO David Morris said his hospital is responding to an increase in demand for substance abuse services.

"We find that substance abuse is a major factor in the majority of teen suicides," said Morris. "These problems seem to go hand-in-hand, and we believe our new detox program and interdisciplinary team of professionals can really make a difference in breaking the cycle of addictive behavior."

Substances covered by the new detox program include alcohol, marijuana, benzodiazepines (benzos), cocaine and methamphetamines. In the near future, the hospital will be adding several additional substances to its treatment program.

"Teens already tend to be impulsive and rash in their thinking," observed Morris. "But when you combine alcohol or drugs with that, you have teens trying things they never would have thought about or carried out otherwise."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that the suicide rate in American adolescents (especially girls aged 10 to 24 years) increased 8 percent (2003 to 2004), the largest jump in 15 years. Colorado currently ranks 8th nationally in teen suicides. For Coloradans ages 10 to 34, suicide is the second leading cause of death, behind traffic accidents, according to the CDPHE.

Highlands Behavioral Health Hospital provides individualized, integrated treatment plans involving the teen's assigned psychiatrist and treatment team. Treatment includes discharge planning -- or aftercare -- with a schedule of appointments with the psychiatrist, the therapist and appropriate group sessions.

"We want parents to know that people do recover and there is hope. We're offering an important first step and valuable resources," said Highlands Behavioral Health Hospital Spokesperson Sheila Rockley, Ph.D. "Our team provides skilled support and qualified medical supervision during the initial phase of detoxification, when withdrawal is most difficult."

Rockley said the detox program, the dual diagnosis program and the recent addition of the Adolescent Center of Excellence represents an expansion of the hospital's community-based mission from crisis stabilization to a treatment oriented, patient care approach.

Highlands Behavioral Health Hospital offers walk-in, no-cost assessments to parents who think their teen might be experiencing an acute mental illness crisis. Assessments are provided by licensed clinicians who will make a determination as to whether the child needs inpatient treatment or another community resource. For patient assessments or admission questions, please call us anytime at 720-348-2800.

About Highlands Behavioral Health

Highlands Behavioral Health Hospital is an 86 bed inpatient mental health hospital and is located at 8565 S. Poplar Way in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. The assessment and referral center services can be accessed by calling 1-800-NEW-HELP (639-4357). For more information visit Highlands Behavioral Health Web site at http://www.highlandsbhs.com/

Highlands Behavioral Health Hospital

CONTACT: Sheila Rockley, PhD, Director of Business Development forHighlands Behavioral Health Hospital, +1-720-348-2800

Web site: http://www.highlandsbhs.com/

Source: PRNewswire

More News in this Category