Mercy's Sedlacek Treatment Center
Helping Teens and Families
Julie was 15 when she started drinking. She had begun to spend time with some older students whose alcohol use was quite heavy. Her drinking was sporadic at first, then became more frequent, until she began to get drunk even during the week. In fact, she and her friends would steal alcohol from a grocery store over their lunch break and return to school drunk.
Julie (not her real name) attends an Eastern Iowa high school. Her mom, a professional, said her daughter’s story is not unusual--alcohol abuse is an "enormous problem" in area high schools. What is unusual, she said, is that she recognized her daughter’s drinking as a serious problem and sought help. After investigating alternatives, she admitted her daughter to Mercy Medical Center’s Sedlacek Treatment Center when she was 16.
The Sedlacek Center started treating adolescents in 1977 and developed a separate adolescent program in 1984. Certified substance abuse counselors offer comprehensive prevention, education, treatment, and follow-up services to youths ages 13 to 18. They may be referred by a family member, a school counselor, or a physician.
Julie’s mom found that Mercy had the most intensive, comprehensive program in the area for adolescents. "It’s so important to change the child’s patterns and involve the families. Mercy does that," she said.
Treatment may begin with the Inpatient Detoxification Program, which allows medical evaluation and medical monitoring while the young person withdraws from a substance. Or the Intensive Outpatient Program may be recommended. In this program, patients meet Monday through Friday from 3 to 8:30 p.m. for individual and group counseling. Families are encouraged to participate in family therapy days each week.
The length of participation in the Intensive Outpatient Program, although highly individualized, is usually six weeks. A lower level program, called Extended Outpatient and lasting six to eight weeks, is offered as a follow-up. Three to four months of therapy on a decreasing level of frequency is recommended.
Dr. Carlos Castillo, former medical director of Adolescent Services at the Sedlacek Center, said the program is successful because "it has a comprehensive approach that involves the families in dealing with issues brought about by substance abuse. Also, behavior problems frequently associated with substance abuse are addressed in a family setting."
Julie’s mom agreed, adding, "The educational component is really solid. The message is not punitive or shame based. My daughter was never told that she was a bad person; she was, rather, asked to look at her risk factors" and make an informed judgment about alcohol use.
Julie is now 17 and has a new circle of friends who don’t drink. "She’s grown a lot," her mom said. "She’s now able to stand up to her drinking friends and say, ‘I can’t do this, and I can’t be around you if you do this."
Much work needs to be done, she said, to educate the community about substance abuse. She is concerned at the lack of response of her daughter’s school and of the parents of her friends. "We really need to find a way to confront the issue," she said.
Shawn Stepp, administrative director of the Sedlacek Treatment Center, said it’s important for parents to get the facts about substance abuse and to know its warning signs. These include personality changes, problems in school, and changes in appearance.
If parents notice such signs and suspect alcohol or drug abuse, they should talk to someone who can evaluate the situation, Marsh said. "When it comes to alcohol and drug issues," he added, "parents should dare to be wrong."
For more information, call the Sedlacek Treatment Center at 319-398-6226.
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