Parachutes of Hope: Update from the field April 2014

PARACHUTES OF HOPE: Update from the Field:

From the program Director:

“We are currently working with a client who is now being well served by the program. He was financially incapable of finding help before being referred to us due to financial stresses on his family. When we first interviewed him he told us he could not understand how he could have gotten himself into such a mess and his only desire was to stop using. He has been clean for the last 7 months but he still is experiencing cravings and negative mood swings which cause him to be pulled back towards his old behavior. We are also treating him for depression because often, individuals with substance abuse issues have co-occuring disorders of depression and/or anxiety disorder.

In addition the program has been providing assistance for five different individuals ranging in age from 14 to18 years of age. Each has gotten individual treatment via talk therapy through the programs funding arm. Some of the issues we are seeing include teen pregnancy, drug addiction, family dysfunction, and the disconnection caused by grief and loss. The program has been a real gift for these adolescents and their families and my hope is that we can continue this program and hopefully expand it into the future. That way we can continue to help more young people and their families who can’t afford quality care for substance abuse and addictive disorders.”