Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) and Assertive Continuing Care (ACC)
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
The goal of the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) is to help 12 to 22 year old youth recover from alcohol and drug addiction.
A-CRA offers three types of sessions: adolescents alone, parents/caregivers alone, and adolescents and parents/caregivers together. First, the adolescent's needs are determined and a self-assessment of happiness is collected, after which the therapist chooses from 17 available A-CRA procedures that address the specific needs of each adolescent with the goal of eliminating alcohol and drug addiction and improving life satisfaction. Sessions include role-playing/behavioral rehearsal, and all end with homework assignments aimed to encourage the adolescent to practice skills learned during the sessions.
A-CRA procedures are often used as part of Assertive Continuing Care (ACC). ACC includes homes visits and care management for adolescents who have just participated in treatment for substance abuse or dependence.
A-CRA offers three types of sessions: adolescents alone, parents/caregivers alone, and adolescents and parents/caregivers together. First, the adolescent's needs are determined and a self-assessment of happiness is collected, after which the therapist chooses from 17 available A-CRA procedures that address the specific needs of each adolescent with the goal of eliminating alcohol and drug addiction and improving life satisfaction. Sessions include role-playing/behavioral rehearsal, and all end with homework assignments aimed to encourage the adolescent to practice skills learned during the sessions.
A-CRA procedures are often used as part of Assertive Continuing Care (ACC). ACC includes homes visits and care management for adolescents who have just participated in treatment for substance abuse or dependence.
Goal / Mission
The goal of the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach is to help adolescents recover from alcohol and drug addiction.
Impact
Results from studies on this treatment program demonstrate that there can be superior engagement, retention, and short-term substance use outcomes for those in the A-CRA and ACC approaches compared to UCC. The ACC protocol can also result in significantly more patients linking to continuing care.
Results / Accomplishments
One study compared participants who received usual continuing care (UCC) to those who received Assertive Continuing Care (ACC) which included the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach. The study reported that those in the ACC group were significantly more likely than those in the UCC group to continue abstaining from marijuana at 3 months post-intervention (p<0.05).
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
Chestnut Health Systems (Lighthouse Institute)
Primary Contact
Mark D. Godley, PhD
Chestnut Health Systems
1003 Martin Luther King Jr Dr
Bloomington, IL 61701
(309) 451-7800
mgodley@chestnut.org
http://ebtx.chestnut.org/Treatments-and-Research/T...
Chestnut Health Systems
1003 Martin Luther King Jr Dr
Bloomington, IL 61701
(309) 451-7800
mgodley@chestnut.org
http://ebtx.chestnut.org/Treatments-and-Research/T...
Topics
Health / Adolescent Health
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Organization(s)
Chestnut Health Systems (Lighthouse Institute)
Date of publication
2/15/2002
Location
Illinois
For more details
Target Audience
Teens