The Solution: Better Treatment

Teens need the best, most effective care we can give them. But we also need to make sure that they get served quickly and that we don't drop the ball if teens or their families fail to engage in care.

To promote evidence-based care, Reclaiming Futures teams work with treatment providers and local jurisdictions to provide training or policy support for approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, Motivational Interviewing, the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (ACRA), The Seven Challenges, and the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN).

Local teams might also work with local authorities to require funded agencies to adopt evidence-based treatment protocols, or change reimbursement rates to help treatment agencies switch to evidence-based assessment tools.

To make sure that young people don't fall through the cracks, Reclaiming Futures teams monitor their progress and work to make the system more effective.

For example, communities have used the Reclaiming Futures model to shorten the time it takes for teens to get from screening to assessment, and from assessment to their first treatment appointment. These improvements help assure that youth will engage in treatment and be successful.

What's Next

Improving the quality of care we provide to teens is critical. But we also need:
More Treatment. »
Beyond Treatment. »