Div of Adolescent Med/SA Treatment Program Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles
UPDATE
5000 Sunset Blvd. Ste. 701, 7th Floor
Los Angeles CA, 90027
Contact Phone: (323) 361-2463
Website: http://www.chla.org/
Details: Drugs and alcohol can have a dire impact on the growing adolescent brain, especially one that is already affected by childhood trauma. Adolescent substance abuse is a major public health concern. Here are a few statistics that help tell the story: Marijuana use among teens has risen in the past three years; Roughly one in fifteen high school seniors today is a current daily, or near-daily, marijuana user; “Club Drugs†such as Cocaine, LSD, and Ecstasy (MDMA are as prevalent among youth today as they were in the 1980s; Alcohol remains the most widely used substance and most problematic in teens; Recent statistics indicate that 22 percent of high school seniors are binge drinking (five or more drinks in a row on at least one occasion in a two week period). Community-based education that is designed to demonize drugs can often have the opposite result—causing drugs to appear more enticing to the risk-taking nature of teenagers. Scare tactics may prevent some teens from drinking or using drugs but does little to convince others that “drugs are bad†and the messengers often lose credibility. The Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Services program in the Division of Adolescent Medicine leverages some of the more effective ways of addressing drug and substance abuse and misuse among teens. We provide accurate, age-appropriate information concerning drugs and alcohol to youth, their parents, and the community. We work to normalize healthy curiosity, risk-taking behaviors and the natural adolescent desire to become more independent of their caretakers. We provide a formal assessment that includes a look at risk and protective factors within the context of each individual’s use. This helps teens understand their use on on a continuum of severity from non-use to dependent use. We combine the latest science and research with practical experiences and insights gained over decades of work youth to address underage drinking and drug use. We endorse a basic philosophy that promotes safety first while encouraging youth to remain drug and alcohol free.