WHAT IS PREVENTION?
Prevention science focuses on the development of evidence-based strategies that reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities.
WHAT IS A SCREENING?
A screening is an interview with a credentialed counselor to determine the needs for prevention services. Throughout the interview an adolescent reports a full substance use history, relevant life history, strengths, successes, needs, and supports. Lifeways utilizes screening tools: PHQ-9 to further assess the needs of the adolescent. Based on the information collected during the screening, recommendations are made to best support the adolescent.
WHAT IS PATH?
Lifeways prevention education curriculum, Promoting Awareness to Health, is a prevention curriculum designed to educate adolescents at age-appropriate levels. Prevention classes consist of group education sessions, a family group education session and individual adolescent follow up education sessions if necessary. Adolescents will learn new information and skills to help reduce the risk of further substance related problems in their life.
WHAT IS PATH I?
PATH I is Lifeways Middle School Prevention Education Class. PATH I (Promoting Awareness to Health) is a 10-hour alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention education and skill building class. This class consists of four adolescent education sessions and one adolescent and guardian education session. Adolescents will learn new information and skills that will provide them the opportunity to create change and reduce the risk of further alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drug related problems in their life.
WHAT IS PATH II?
PATH II is Lifeways lower-level High School Prevention Education Class. PATH II (Promoting Awareness to Health) is a 10-hour alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention education and skill building class. This class consists of four adolescent education sessions and one adolescent and guardian education session. Adolescents will learn new information and skills that will provide them the opportunity to create change and reduce the risk of further alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drug related problems in their life.
WHAT IS PATH III?
PATH III is Lifeways higher- level High School Prevention Education Class. PATH III (Promoting Awareness to Health) is a 20-hour alcohol, tobacco, and other drug intensive prevention education and skill building class. This class consists of eight adolescent group education sessions, one adolescent and guardian group education session and two one-hour individual adolescent follow up education sessions. Adolescents will learn new information and skills that will provide them the opportunity to create change and reduce the risk of further alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drug related problems in their life
WHAT ARE THE COST OF LIFEWAYS PREVENTION SERVICES?
All Lifeways prevention services are free.
ONCE THE PROGRAM ENDS, WHAT HAPPENS?
Once a student completes the prevention class, if additional concerns are present a recommendation is made for appropriate services. Potential recommendations may be a higher level of prevention, assessment, or mental health services. If there are no additional concerns present, no further recommendations are made.
WHAT IS AN INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT?
An assessment is an interview with a credentialed counselor to determine the needs and rule out, or determine, if a substance use disorder (SUD) is present and to determine appropriate treatment services. Throughout the interview an adolescent reports a full substance use history, relevant life history, their strengths, successes, and current supports. Lifeways utilizes screening tools: BECK, MAYO, and CUDIT-R to further assess needs. Based on the information collected during the assessment, if DSM-V criteria is met, an adolescent is diagnosed with a substance use disorder. Lifeways follows ASAM in making appropriate recommendations for a treatment level of care.
WHAT ARE THE COST OF LIFEWAYS ASSESSMENT SERVICES?
A full drug and alcohol assessment is $150, and an updated assessment is $75.
- Lifeways has a Sliding Fee Scale.
- Lifeways accepts Medicaid.
- Lifeways is a state contracted treatment provider and can offer assistance with cost of assessment.
- Lifeways does not file private insurance.
WHAT ARE TREATMENT LEVELS OF CARE?
The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Patient Placement Criteria are guidelines to help match adolescents to the appropriate level of treatment service and kind of care needed. South Dakota offers three levels of care for adolescents:
- Level 1: Outpatient Treatment, low to moderate level of care offered through Lifeways
- Level II.1: Intensive Outpatient Treatment, offered through Wellfully
- Level III.7: Inpatient Treatment Services, offered through Wellfully (Rapid City), Our Home Rediscovery (Huron) and Avera (Sioux Falls)
WHAT IS LEVEL 1 OUTPATIENT TREATMENT?
Level 1 treatment is the lowest level of outpatient treatment services. Outpatient treatment allows adolescents to live in their current environment but in addition they attend treatment services to promote change behavior. Adolescents appropriate for this level of care present as stable and supported in their environment. Services at this level of care are a minimum of 1 hour per week for 10 weeks.
WHAT IS LEVEL II.1 OUTPATIENT TREATMENT?
Level II.1 treatment is appropriate for adolescents who present with moderate risks for withdrawal, physical health, or mental health concerns. They appear resistant to treatment services and with moderate risks for continued use and problem potential. They also present with a supportive recovery environment. Services at this level of care are a minimum of 6 hours per week for 7 weeks.
WHAT IS LEVEL III.7 OUTPATIENT TREATMENT?
Level III.7 treatment is appropriate for adolescents who present with high risk for withdrawal, physical health, or mental health concerns. They appear resistant to treatment services and with high risks for continued use and problem potential. They may require more supervision than their current environment can provide. Services at this level of care are residential placement in a treatment facility for 30-45 days
DO WE REASSESS WHILE IN TREATMENT?
DOES LIFEWAYS WORK WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PROGRAMS WHILE WORKING WITH MY ADOLESCENT?
Lifeways obtains the appropriate releases and consents to work with community programs in referral and collaborative services for the adolescent. Lifeways communicates appropriately with other providers to inform them of the adolescents’ recommendations, progress, and status in Lifeways programming.
WHAT IS THE EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALING OF LIFEWAYS STAFF?
All Lifeways staff are credentialed by the South Dakota Board of Addiction and Prevention Professionals as Addiction Counselor Trainees (ACT), Certified Addiction Counselors (CAC), or Licenses Addiction Counselors (LAC). All Counselors are supervised by a Clinical Supervisor. Clinical supervision is a good clinical practice that helps to ensure all staff maintain a high level of skill and have access to another perspective when faced with client care.
WHAT COUNSELING THEORY AND METHODS DO LIFEWAYS COUNSELORS UTELIZE?
Lifeways Counselors focus on client directed and client centered therapies. Counselors utilize Motivational Interviewing (MI) to help adolescents identify their own motivations and desires to promote change behaviors.
WHAT IS THE COST OF LIFEWAYS TREATMENT SERVICES?
Lifeways Individual Outpatient Treatment services are $760 and Group Outpatient Treatment services are $2,000. Lifeways is committed to assisting families in payment to ensure cost is not an obstacle in receiving treatment services.
- Lifeways has a Sliding Fee Scale.
- Lifeways accepts Medicaid.
- Lifeways is a state contracted treatment provider and can offer assistance with cost of assessment.
- Lifeways does not file private insurance but will provide documentation to self-file.
WHAT IS THE ACCREDITATION STATUS OF THE PROGRAM?
The South Dakota State Department of Social Services Certifies that Lifeways, Inc. is granted accreditation in accordance with Rule 67:61 of the Administrative Rules off the South Dakota Department of Social Services for Substance Use Disorder Services:
- Prevention
- Outpatient Treatment
ONCE THE PROGRAM ENDS, WHAT HAPPENS?
When adolescents are completed from the program, recommendations are made to the adolescents and guardians based on the adolescent’s completion status and needs. Lifeways offers check- ins at the end of the school year for all completed adolescents during that year. Monthly recovery groups are offered on the first Friday of every month to all completed adolescents for continued support and encouragement in recovery.
All adolescents are consistently monitored and assessed while in Lifeways programming. Goals are created and progress is monitored to determine if change can be made, is being made, or if new problems are arising. If an adolescent no longer meets criteria for a specific level of care, they are reassessed for a more appropriate level of care.