Treatments available for meth addiction; Options arise as county facilities learn to grapple with addicts' problems

Jennifer Bartlett

Kingman Daily Miner

KINGMAN - With the continuing use of methamphetamine in Mohave County, various groups around the county have sprouted to offer a wide variety of therapy for those wanting to walk away from the drugs' hold on their lives.

Those who provide treatment work around the clock to combat the addictive drug.

Mohave Mental Health works closely with substance abuse patients, the majority of whom are dealing with meth addictions, said Ron French, Crisis/Intake Adult Services Clinical director for MMH.

Treatment for meth addiction has evolved at the clinic through a matrix model. While the program is structured, the counselors work with individual clients, exposing them to material through a variety of learning mediums.

Studies have shown that meth can delay verbal learning skills, so treatment might not be effective for everyone in one specific medium. Mohave Mental Health counselors present the material aurally, verbally, pictorially, etc., he said.

MMH is a state-funded facility offering a wide range of services from once-a-month outpatient sessions to referrals for inpatient treatment. No matter what the service, Mohave Mental Health strives to match the treatment to the client, French said.

Services are available to all Mohave County residents; however, some eligibility limitations do exist.

French said crisis services are available to anyone, regardless of income. Also, services are available to children, those with substance abuse problems and the seriously mentally ill.

However, income structures do exist for anyone not meeting those requirements.

In crisis situations, services are rendered until the client is stabilized.

From there, assessments determine how MMH will proceed.

For those who need inpatient treatment, French said MMH partners with two residential treatment facilities: Hillside and West Yavapai Care Center. For the most part, it takes approximately two weeks to obtain a bed for new patients, but things can change on a daily basis.

While there are not enough beds to go around, French said they can usually get people in relatively quickly.

When someone is seeking help, French said they can just walk into any of the clinics and ask to see a counselor. These clients fill out an initial form and see a pre-enrollment screener. Most cases can be assessed on the same day.

If the client is assessed "at-risk," they can see a counselor as soon as possible. The counselor helps to determine eligibility and what services the client desires and/or needs.

MMH has more than 4,000 clients currently in its system, French said, with plenty of counselors and caseworkers to handle the caseload.

For more information about MMH, call 757-8111. The Clinic and Administrative Office is located at 3505 Western Ave.

TASC, Inc.

TASC Inc., a non-profit treatment assessment and screening center, offers additional treatment options in Mohave County.

One of TASC's main drives is the completion of a multitude of drug testing, including urine analysis and hair follicle analysis, for both the Department of Corrections and probation. The organization also has contracts with private companies and allows people to walk in off the street for testing.

In addition, Mohave County Site Administrator Toby Lyons said TASC runs a minimum of five substance abuse groups a week. The establishment offers group and individual counseling, as well as intensive counseling. All counseling is outpatient.

Because TASC has its own lab, drug tests are quickly turned around and Internet reporting is offered.

Those interested in treatment options at TASC can call and make an appointment for counseling or just walk in for drug tests during business hours. TASC operates from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and is located at 2364 Kingman Ave.

For more information, call 753-9678 or 753-8967. Information can also be found online at www.tasc-arizona.org.

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's Ladder is a faith-based recovery program. The program, run through Praise Chapel, focuses on three areas of recovery: anger management, co-dependency and chemical dependence.

The chemical dependency program is offered to adults ages 16 and up. Meetings are held every Thursday night for the simple cost of literature, if a person is coming in voluntarily.

Associate Pastor and Director of Jacob's Ladder John Pool said things are a little more complicated for those not attending completely of their own volition.

Due to the paper work that must be filed, if clients are court-mandated to be there, the cost is increased to $85.

During the Thursday night meetings, everyone meets together as one large group for 30 to 45 minutes to discuss basic recovery issues.

The groups are then dismissed into issue-specific groups, which go through a 13-week series specific to the group's individual challenge, learning to deal with their addiction.

Pool said those who want to attend voluntarily can show up at any meeting. The meetings are held at 7 p.m. at Praise Chapel at 419 Harrison St.