Centre to treat the 'WholePerson'
Government Information Service
"Stereotypes about substance abusetreatment are about to be challenged with the opening of the CaribbeanHaven Residential Treatment Centre", says its Clinical Supervisor,Mary Cripton.
The Centre, which is located in Breakers, was officially openedby H. E. the Governor,
Mr. Peter Smith, Friday, 22 September
"We're not going to just take peoplein, talk at them, and then send them home," she outlines."Clients are not going to sit around playing cards all dayuntil it's time for group therapy.
"Instead, the approach focuses on the person - helping anaddicted woman to be a mother to her eight-year-old daughter,or encouraging a man to stop using the excuse that he abuses drugsbecause there's nothing else to do. We're here to help personsovercome their problems and become healthy, productive citizens."
Ms Cripton heads a 20-member international staff at the centre- including Caymanians, Trinidadians, Canadians and Americans.
Clients of the Islands' first coeducational, residential substanceabuse treatment programme are likely to be admitted by the endof October, with several persons already showing a willingnessto undertake the three-week programme.
During public tours held in early September, Ms Cripton notesthat a number of persons experiencing substance abuse problemscame with their families to see the facility.
"Just because a person is addicted doesn't mean that he orshe doesn't have common sense," she explains. "Theyoften know that they need help."
Persons who are accepted into the 15-bed centre may become involvedin a range of treatment options, some of which do not follow conventionalideas of addiction counselling. Life skills, cooking, resume-writing,stress management and similar components are blended with moretraditional approaches such as gender-specific sessions, grouptherapy, and family counselling.
The variety is necessary because no two individuals will respondto the same customised treatment, yet both must have their needsmet in order to increase their chances of success.
For example, "If the real problem is that the client can'tread well enough to keep a job, and he compensates emotionallyby drinking or abusing drugs, there is no need to provide fivehours of group therapy," she says. "What he needs areliteracy skills in addition to counselling.
"Additionally, staff will work one-on-one with clients, encouragingthem to think clearly about what their addictions are causingthem to lose out on - for example, the activities that they enjoydoing, but haven't done for five years because they have beeninvolved with drugs. The result is a centre and staff that providea safe place for men and women to test their new-found or reinforcedabilities before they rejoin the community."
This diverse approach - incorporating the client's biological,psychological and social needs into individualised treatment -is a method recognised by professionals in the field and appropriatelycalled the biopsychosocial model. Family involvement is a vitalcomponent; indeed, at Caribbean Haven there are plans to offerchild-care facilities for the offspring of clients who are attendingthe day treatment programme.
"The idea that if you don't do it for yourself, you're notdoing it at all, is not necessarily true. The motivation sometimescomes from the outside," Ms Cripton asserts.
"Providing child care, for instance, will give mothers andfathers a constant reminder that they have parental responsibilities.Watching your child play as you become clean and sober can bea powerful catalyst; you realise that your son or daughter needsyou to stay healthy."
Ms Cripton's 'whole person' approach to the substance abuse treatmenthas been shaped by her employment and educational background.Before coming to Cayman she was the casework supervisor for ChoicesAdolescent Treatment Services / Drug Dependency Services in hernative Canada, where she managed 30 staff in a 14-bed residential,day treatment and outpatient programme for teens and their families.
She has provided clinical supervision to this and a variety ofmultidisciplinary teams since 1995, and holds a master's degreefrom the University of Toronto in clinical social work, with afocus on the study of addictions. Ms Cripton also has served onvarious committees, task forces and work groups, and co-chairedNova Scotia Community College's Addiction Counselling Programme,where she developed the curriculum and hired faculty.
Although her experience is extensive, Ms Cripton says that herphilosophy continues to be refined by the communities in whichshe works.
"I do not want to sound like an 'expert expatriate,"she explains. "Working with people in Nova Scotia will bedifferent from working with people in Cayman. I'm very cognisantthat I need to listen and learn from people in the Breakers andoverall community, as well as professionals who have been a partof the Islands' substance abuse treatment network for years."
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Drug Abuse Preventionand Rehabilitation, Miss Andrea Bryan, notes that Ms Cripton camehighly recommended for the post. "The Minister, the Hon.Anthony Eden, and I are confident in Ms Cripton's abilities,"she says. "Her treatment approach fits what this Ministryhas been working toward since plans for the centre were laid severalyears ago.
"On behalf of Mr. Eden and the Director of Substance AbuseServices, MsKaren Ferruccio, we welcome Ms Cripton to the team.Her appointment, and the opening of Caribbean Haven, is anotherpositive step toward helping the people of Cayman become freefrom drug and alcohol abuse."
The Facts about Caribbean HavenResidential Treatment Centre
The Centre
The treatment centre, along withCaribbean Haven Outpatient Services and Caribbean Haven - SisterIslands, operates under the Department of Substance Abuse Services(DOSAS).
The department falls under the Ministry of Health, Social Welfare,Drug Abuse Prevention and Rehabilitation.
The centre's bed capacity is 15.
The Hawley Estate was purchased in 1993 for $600,000.
The Programme
All admissions into the Caribbean Haven Residential TreatmentCentre first must be assessed at Caribbean Haven Outpatient Servicesin Paddington Place.
The centre will provide coeducational, 21-day substance abusetreatment services. The first clients will be accepted in October.
Admissions will be accepted each Friday afternoon.
Withdrawal management will take place at the Cayman Islands Hospital.
The centre will accept some clients with a dual diagnosis - forexample, both alcohol and other drugs - but Dr. Franklin La Heewill first screen these individuals in his capacity as a medicaldoctor.
Family members will be encouraged to participate in parts of theprogramme.
The programme can run 16 times per year; at its full capacity,it will serve 240 residential clients.
Cost of the service is still under discussion. There will be arrangementsfor individuals who cannot pay.
Clients come by choice; drinking alcohol and/or using drugs willnot be permitted, and an infraction of this rule will result inimmediate discharge.
Treatment Philosophy
The centre will use the biopsychosocial treatment model.
Most of the programming will use a group format.
The treatment goal is abstinence.
Treatment is a process that includes identification, assessment,intensive treatment and ongoing follow-up.
Research suggests that residential care will get the best resultswith clients who have a serious substance abuse problem, thosewith multiple drug addictions, and those who do not have supportiveliving arrangements.
The Staff
Twenty persons are on staff.
Counselling staff have undergraduate degrees in social sciences,plus related work experience; most have a certificate in alcoholand drug counselling.
Medical and psychiatric back-up resources will be provided byDr. Franklin LaHee.
A family counsellor, as well as a recreational counsellor, willbe on staff to provide an integral component of the total programme.
There will always be staff at the centre; 19 posts will coverthree shifts.
Staff are a mix of persons who are in recovery and those who havenever had a substance abuse problem.
Security and procedures are in place, and the building has beenequipped. The staff are also trained in these procedures.
Day Programme, Halfway House and After Care
Plans are to operate a day programme between 10 a.m. and 3p.m., Monday through Friday. Clients would be transported to andfrom the centre by a van.
Up to eight day clients may participate in each treatment course,for a total of 128 clients per year.
The halfway house is expected to open in January 2001. It willhouse six to eight male clients, and help to prepare them forre-entry into society.
Aftercare will be provided at Caribbean Haven Outpatient Services,in addition to that provided by self-help groups.