Partnership with Red Bank Regional High School
Deidre Lonza, LCSW, LCADC, Chief Clinical Officer at New Hope, spoke with Lori Todd, MA, LPC, ACS, Student Assistance Counselor at Red Bank Regional High School (RBRHS) about how New Hope can get involved earlier, for example, when a student is caught with drugs or tests positive for marijuana. They developed an alternative to suspension by providing counseling during
school days to students at high risk of addiction. Counselors are able to provide substance use education and address other factors that may contribute to use, such as social anxiety or isolation. Todd stated, “Ten students were seen throughout the school year for weekly sessions with the clinicians, both virtually and in person in the school building. The students benefited greatly from the
service, as demonstrated by the consistent attendance at sessions, the rapport trust building with the clinicians, and negative urine drug screens.” New Hope’s ability to engage students quickly helps prevent escalation of substance use problems or even provides rapid access to care if additional services such as withdrawal management, outpatient (OP) and inpatient care are needed.
Recovery High School at Brookdale Community College
Despite the challenges, New Hope has made significant strides in ensuring services are available to youth across New Jersey. In addition to providing services at RBRHS, New Hope works closely with KEYS ACADEMY, a recovery high school located at Brookdale Community College, which provides students with a structured environment where they can continue their academic education while receiving treatment for SUD. The school offers a combination of counseling, sober support activities, and academic classes, helping students stay on track with their education and recovery. In turn, New Hope offers support with counseling services and participation in community events.
Challenges Persist; More Early Intervention Services Are Needed
While New Hope works closely with care management organizations (CMOs) to provide wraparound services, challenges still exist for some youth, particularly those not enrolled in CMOs. David Roden, LCSW, LCADC, President and Chief Operating Officer, noted that students with less severe SUD and other emotional-behavioral challenges often face difficulty accessing intensive outpatient services and they may not meet the enrollment criteria for a CMO, which is determined by scoring contained within a Strength and Needs Assessment. “Many CMO-eligible youths rely on intensive in-community care or in-home therapy, but this, while beneficial, cannot always replace the benefit of group therapy. It is only when the youth gets sicker that they become eligible to receive more services. More early intervention services are needed,” he said.
To help providers navigate these challenges, New Hope encourages increased collaboration among schools, CMOs and community provider agencies. Roden stressed that providers need to better understand the available resources within the Children’s System of Care (CSOC) and become more familiar with funding opportunities to better serve youth in need.
Despite the successes, Roden and Lonza emphasize that there is still much to do to ensure that all youth in need of care have access to appropriate services. In particular, North Jersey faces challenges related to low reimbursement rates for OP services and a shift in referral sources. Post-COVID, there has been an increase in residential referrals overall especially from Mobile Response, probation, and hospitals as opposed to the more traditional referrals from lower levels of care such as OP and intensive outpatient (IOP). Reimbursement rates are best for the IOP level of care, but the length of the groups and weekly commitment of time often does not fit in with a youth’s schedule for school, and for some, school and work. In addition, IOP cannot be billed
for unless they attend three groups and an individual session each week. Adolescents seem to have higher no-show and cancellation rates than adults, but they can be high with both.
Roden stated, “In general, I feel behavioral health professionals are paid too low, and this, in turn, discourages individuals from entering a field with documented need. Only higher reimbursement can allow agencies to pay better and attract others to our field.”
New Hope also advocates for more widespread use of the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) method, a motivational interviewing technique for families. Lonza and colleague Kristina Bloodgood, Senior Director of Admissions, have taught CRAFT to CMO staff, and New Hope integrates this method into inpatient care. The approach is practical for youth and adults, as it helps families become more involved in the recovery process.
New Hope’s efforts focus on expanding its school-based programs, enhancing treatment accessibility and providing innovative care options for youth in need. Through its partnerships with schools, CMOs and other local organizations, New Hope aims to break down barriers to care, improve outcomes for students with SUD, and create supportive communities for youth in recovery.
For more information call our Access line at 732-946-3030 Option 3 or visit our website.