NCJ Number
131362
Date Published
Unknown
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The 11 year old, Lincoln Acupuncture program for drug and alcohol addicted clients in the South Bronx is described.
Abstract
Methadone was eliminated as a treatment modality six years ago. About 300 acupuncture patients are served daily with an average of 15 intakes each day. Ear points are used in the treatment, and sessions cost $5-10 each in actual expenditure. The treatment is integrated with counseling and other psychosocial services. Of the nontreatment agreement detoxification group, 44 percent gained consistent abstinence and 12 percent gained a period of abstinence for at least 3 testing days. In the treatment agreement group, 57 percent gained consistent abstinence and 16 percent gained a period of abstinence of at least 3 testing days and maintained a continuing therapeutic relationship during this time. These results indicate the advantage of an abstinence contract with troublesome patients. The use of acupuncture and treatment agreements allowed 73 percent of a group of patients who are usually considered untreatable to enter the therapeutic process and achieve documented success. Individual case histories of this non-screened untreatable population are reported. The Lincoln acupuncture program is a successful revenue producing unit that is fully integrated within a public hospital site and serves as a model for the alcohol detoxification programs in Brooklyn and Minneapolis.