Abstract
| The Mobile Adolescent Treatment Team (MAT Team) treats children, youth, young adults (9-20 years of age) and their families dually diagnosed as mentally or emotionally ill and substance impaired in their own villages. Individualized outpatient treatment is provided by native village based counselors to serve the rural population in 15 remote villages of the Bering Straits region in Alaska. MAT Team is the only intensive treatment program for adolescents in the region. |
Objectives
The MAT Team provides intensive individualized treatment to improve the health and social functioning by providing substance abuse and mental health services to adolescents and young adults within the boundaries of their cultural values and traditions while inspiring a sense of dignity and pride in social, emotional and behavioral health. Instead of taking the youth out of their villages, the service provider comes to the village where they reside, thus there is less trauma experienced by the youth and their families can be involved in the treatment. Program guidelines: honor the people, respect village governments, help village elders, adapt to the village rhythm, treat the client within his/her cultural values.
Indian Nation Served
Inupiat, Yup’ik, Siberian Yup’ik in 15 villages in the Bering Straits region of Alaska.
Key Components
Village based counselors stay in the village 4 days at a time to provide individualized attention and care to the young person being served. (Counselors delivering the service are Native Alaskan.) The project coordinates with other service agencies to provide the comprehensive care the individual needs. The village based counselors develop a support network for the youth and their families, bringing in other members of the village to provide support and if needed, be a role model to the child being served.
Evaluation Design
CSAT GPRA data was collected. Case studies were done to illustrate the impact of the Mobile Adolescent Treatment Team.
Evaluation Results
CSAT GPRA data was collected. Case studies were done to illustrate the impact of the Mobile Adolescent Treatment Team.
Products Developed
None specified.