Leading Alcohol Abuse & AddictionTreatment Center for Children & Teens in Arkansas

Learn more about alcohol addiction treatment at Millcreek Behavioral Health in Arkansas

While it is common for teens to experiment with drinking alcohol, and is understood by many people to be a phase that they will grow out of; some adolescents or teens who abuse alcohol will not grow out of it and it can cause shocking problems for not only the adolescent or teen, but those around them as well. Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug among adolescents and children are now using at younger ages with kids as young as 11 having their first drink. Additionally, alcohol is involved in nearly half of all of the violent deaths among teens and adolescents; however, there is hope. Adolescents or teens who struggle with alcohol abuse, if treated promptly and effectively, are able to move past this problem and learn to lead a happy, healthy, sober life.

At Millcreek Behavioral Health, located in Arkansas, we offer two residential alcohol addiction and abuse treatment centers designed specifically to help adolescents or teens recover from their emotional and behavioral problems. Adolescents or teens who abuse alcohol can greatly benefit from our facility’s residential treatment center that treats not only the alcohol abuse, but any co-occurring mental health disorders as well. At our treatment center at Millcreek, your adolescent or teen will learn the skills needed to lead a sober life.

Helping a loved one get treatment for alcohol addiction

There is no easy way to figure out if your child is engaging in problematic drinking. If you suspect that they may be developing an alcohol abuse or addiction problem here are some of the signs that you can look for:

• Scruffy personal appearance
• Red, flushed checks or face
• Frequently breaks curfew
• Avoid eye contact
• Locked doors
• Mood changes or emotional irritability
• Silent or uncommunicative
• Change in relationships with family or friends
• Making endless excuses
• Depression

If your child does have a drinking problem you may blame yourself for their troubles, make excuses for their bad behavior, and try to shield the rest of the family from their problems. Alcohol abuse among adolescents or teens cannot be ignored. It must be treated and managed so that your child can begin to build a sober life. Here are some tips for how you as a parent can help your child:

• Lay down rules and consequences
• Monitor your teens activity
• Encourage other interests and social activities
• Talk to your child about underlying issues
• Get outside help

Why consider treatment for alcohol addiction at Millcreek Behavioral Health in Arkansas

If your adolescent or teen is engaging in alcohol abuse, the sooner this situation is discovered and treated appropriately, the better. Without treatment, many children who drink are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, suffer from associated health problems, and can damage their emotional stability. Alcohol abuse and addiction can affect finances, careers, and the ability to sustain healthy relationships. Alcohol abuse is a serious problem that can also have an impact on the child’s family and friends.

A residential treatment center that focuses upon the treatment of alcohol abuse and any co-occurring disorders concurrently has been proven to be the best ways in which a child or teen can successfully overcome their alcohol abuse. Through our residential program provided by our treatment facility in Arkansas, your child will learn skills needed to maintain sobriety. In our treatment center’s residential program your child will be able to receive individual counseling, group therapy, family therapy sessions, and any medication they may need for the symptoms of other mental health disorder that may be struggling with. Our facility’s residential treatment program provides a safe place where your child can open up and really get at the underlying reason for why the alcohol abuse began in the first place.

Millcreek Behavioral Health philosophy and treatment benefits

For over 25 years, Millcreek Behavioral Health, located in Arkansas, has helped adolescents or teens learn the skills necessary to lead healthier, happier lives. Our alcohol addiction and abuse treatment facility is a leading care provider of specialty mental health care services for adolescents or teens who are facing emotional, cognitive, and behavioral problems. Our treatment center uses a progressive approach to care with a major emphasis upon both education and treatment; we work to meet the challenges that accompany an ever-changing world. Our multidisciplinary team of experts in child and adolescent health offer scientifically-validated alcohol addiction and abuse treatment approaches that instills both family and community values in each person and family member we meet. The rewards of our work are reflected in the lives of the children and teens we treat, the values we promote, and the hearts of the people we touch.

Types of alcohol addiction treatment offered at Millcreek Behavioral Health in Arkansas

When you come to our treatment facility in Arkansas for care, your child will first undergo a thorough diagnostic assessment and psychiatric evaluation to allow us to identify presenting concerns and specific treatment needs. The findings of the assessment will be discussed with you and your child and we will work together to create a master alcohol addiction and abuse treatment plan that details goals and objectives for treatment within each problem area and includes specific interventions to be used. This master treatment plan will then be reviewed by our treatment facility’s psychiatrist. Our program model is divided into four phases; each phase is based upon the completion of therapeutic goals that are sequentially structured, building upon one another. Our residents at our alcohol addiction and abuse treatment facility must complete the requirements of each phase before advancing to the next.

Medication: While there are no medications used specifically to treat alcohol abuse and addiction, there are medications that are used to treat co-occurring mental health disorders, such as depression or anxiety. While our treatment facility at Millcreek does not offer a detox program, we do combine therapeutic approaches with medication management for clients who have been stabilized. Any medication usage will be under the direct supervision of our treatment center’s medical staff and adjusted as needed.

Individual therapy: Individual sessions are held on a weekly basis and provide time where your child can work one-on-one with a therapist. These sessions can help get at the underlying cause for the alcohol addiction and abuse and can help them learn healthier ways of coping.

Group therapy is one of the most important aspects of our alcohol addiction and abuse treatment approach at our facility in Arkansas. We offer numerous groups each day that provide our clients with the chance to learn more about addiction, co-occurring disorders, and social skills.

Family therapy: Family sessions are held by our alcohol addiction and abuse treatment center at least twice per month and are designed to be a place where your child and the rest of the family can learn to better communicate with one another and work through and presenting issues. In addition to family therapy, regular visitation times and visits are arranged throughout your child’s stay.

Education: All clients at our alcohol addiction and abuse treatment facility will be enrolled in Millcreek Schools, Inc. and expected to attend Monday through Friday. All the credits earned in our schools will transfer to the client’s public school system. Millcreek employs well-qualified teachers who are able to create and implement IEPs, diploma track, or GED.

Recreational therapy: Therapeutic recreation uses recreational services to help develop and teach our clients coping skills needed for socialization. These activities may include creative arts, sports, adventure programming, and leisure.

In addition to these therapeutic interventions, we also offer a number of other services to our clients based upon the needs specifically laid out in the treatment plan. These may include:

• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Student council

Continuing care and levels of treatment for alcohol addiction

As the time for discharge draws closer, you’ll work with a case manager and your child to determine the next best steps in their recovery. Some of our clients enter a waiver program in which they receive in-home care services to provide help with daily skills in a home-like environment. Other clients may work with their alcohol addiction and abuse treatment facility’s case manager to determine appropriate outpatient treatment options and referrals to available community resources in Arkansas.