The Salvation Army Addiction Treatment Services

Contact: Stacy Richardson, MS, MCFT, Director of Admissions
3624 Waokanaka Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: 808.595.6371
Fax: 808.595.8250
Website: www.SalvationArmyHawaii.org

Program Description

The Salvation Army Addiction Treatment Services (ATS) has been providing cost-effective substance abuse treatment for chemically dependent adults in Hawaii for more than thirty years.  Conveniently located in scenic Nuuanu Valley on the island of Oahu, ATS offers a multi-faceted treatment continuum where clients experience professional support for true lifestyle change and recovery.  ATS provides a continuum of addiction treatment for more than fifteen hundred men and women annually through the following services and levels of care: 1) screening and assessment; 2) non-medical residential detoxification; 3) residential treatment; 4) day, intensive outpatient and outpatient treatment; 5) treatment for incarcerated inmates statewide; and 6) continuing care.  Major levels of the treatment continuum are described below: 

Detoxification Unit provides clients withdrawing from alcohol and other drugs (primarily methamphetamine and heroin) with 2 to 7 days of non-medical residential detoxification services in a safe and supportive environment. Detox services include evaluation, medication administration, monitoring of vital signs, individual counseling, addiction education, case management and referral to treatment and other recovery settings. 

Residential Treatment provides an intensive, individualized plan of recovery for severely addicted persons needing a more structured environment than day or outpatient treatment can provide.  Residential services include an average of forty hours of face-to-face treatment activities weekly.  Duration of residential stay is variable and ranges from a few weeks to up to ninety days before transfer to day or outpatient treatment level.   

Day/Outpatient/Aftercare Services: ATS offers day treatment, intensive outpatient, and low intensity outpatient treatment as follows: day treatment clients attend at least four hours daily for five days per week; intensive outpatient clients attend three-hour sessions at least three times weekly; and outpatient clients attend between 1-8 hours weekly.  Day and/or outpatient treatment is used both as a “stand alone” modality and in combination with detox and/or residential treatment.  A minimum of twelve weeks of aftercare is provided for all clients following completion of primary treatment.   

Specific treatment activities include:

• Bio-psycho-social assessment includes DSM-IV diagnosis, use of Addiction Severity Index and rating on the ASAM Placement Criteria. 
• Individualized treatment plan developed by client and primary counselor at admission and updated periodically throughout treatment.
• Individual counseling sessions focus on treatment plan issues including treatment progress, relationships, crisis management, trauma and abuse issues, financial matters, unresolved issues from group counseling and also include case management and discharge planning.  
• Group Sessions include directed process groups, cognitive restructuring groups, gender-specific issues groups, therapeutic goals, addiction education groups, and cognitive/social skills training groups. 
• Family Renewal services include family education and support groups, couples classes, and marriage and family counseling. 
• Vocational Rehabilitation services include assessment, pre-employment skills development, interview skills, referral to vocational training programs, job search, and employment support and follow-up. 
• Medical, Psychiatric and Nursing services are provided by: 1) an ASAM Board Certified Psychiatrist who conducts psychiatric interviews and serves as Medical Director; 2) a medical internist who provides physical exams for clients; and 3) full-time and part-time registered nurses who handle sick call, TB testing, medications, and clients’ overall nursing needs.    
• Case Management insures timely provision of appropriate services in accordance with treatment plan and referral for problems in areas other than addiction.
• Pastoral services are completely voluntary and are provided by a Salvation Army chaplain. They include a variety of spiritual growth opportunities.
• Recreational/leisure time activities include low impact activities such as ceramics, movies, yoga, aerobics, volleyball, swimming, beach outings, or exercising via aerobic machines.   
• Support services include drug testing, transportation services, and three nutritious meals daily that are supervised by a registered dietician who oversees meal planning and special diets.
• Continuing Care is required at least weekly for a minimum of three months following completion of primary treatment.  Participants continue to share their recovery experiences in a group format and to refine their relapse prevention skills.
• Community 12-Step Support Group participation is strongly encouraged for all clients via frequent on-site and community meetings, Big Book and Step Studies.

Treatment approach:  ATS seeks to provide an integrative treatment approach based on current research and best practices in the field of addiction and offender treatment. The treatment approach is cognitive/behavioral with emphasis on relapse prevention and cognitive skills development. ATS supports the philosophy of total abstinence in the treatment of addiction and the use of 12-step support groups.  ATS programs and services are accredited nationally by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and locally by the State of Hawaii Department of Health.  Treatment is provided by a multi-disciplinary team of highly experienced clinical staff comprised primarily of certified substance abuse counselors, masters level marriage and family counselors and social workers, registered and licensed practical nurses supported by medical/psychiatric/dietary consultants, recovering staff, graduate interns, and dedicated volunteers. Treatment funding comes primarily from government contracts and secondarily from Quest, commercial insurance plans, and private donations. 

The ATS client population is comprised of chemically dependent adults on the island of Oahu:

• Three-fourths have a primary problem of methamphetamine dependency (crystal “meth” or “ice”) 
• Sixty percent are referred from Hawaii’s criminal justice system 
• Eighty percent are unemployed; majority are homeless
• Three-fourths are male; forty percent are of Hawaiian ethnic background

ATS maintains an average daily census of 11+ detox clients, 40+ residential clients, 125 outpatient clients, and 150+ inmates/furloughees.

Treatment effective outcomes based on the follow-up status of all clients (those who complete treatment as well as those who do not complete) at six months following discharge indicate that: 

• 71% are abstinent from alcohol and other drugs
• 67% are employed or enrolled in vocational training program 
• 83% have stable living arrangements
• 95% have not been arrested
• 90% have not been hospitalized or needed to visit an emergency room
• 90% have not needed additional substance abuse treatment

As expected, clients completing treatment are doing much better after six months than are non-completes.

If you have any questions or are interested in a confidential assessment interview, please contact the ATS Admissions Department at 808.595-6371.