The UP Foundation program is based on an Alternative Peer Group Model, which emphasizes the importance of “community” and strives to promote a nurturing, safe environment for all of our participants and staff at all times. Our intensive recovery support services assist young people and the families who are struggling with substance use to achieve and maintain long term recovery by provided the best possible care and support. Services include counselors who specialize in treatment of substance use disorders, certified peer recovery specialists, substance use screenings, substance use education groups and recovery support groups.
Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (CPRS) are well trained individuals who have personal experience with successful recovery from mental health and/or substance use disorders are willing to assist others in finding their recovery. All CPRS’s have completed a 72 hour training and licensure process with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS). Through personal dedication and commitment to their own recovery, they are able to complement counseling and other treatment services by providing experiential knowledge, walking through participants’ problems alongside them, providing nonclinical support, and collaborating with participants and counselors to help create individualized treatment plans.
Substance Abuse Screening & Assessment serve as an objective measure of progress. We strive to help our young participants stay clean and sober, and support them throughout their recovery until they are able to achieve successful and continued abstinence. Therefore, we conduct periodic screenings for drug usage through Blue Ridge Scientific on a random, but regular basis. This information is reviewed by staff and shared with the participant. Participants are affirmed whenever progress is noted. When there is a lack of progress, emphasis is placed on examining what changes or additional support is needed to help the participant to be successful in achieving abstinence.
Substance Abuse Recovery Groups are groups administered by counselors and CPRS’s in a small group format, allowing participants to ask questions and receive immediate peer support. These groups cover a wide range of areas related to recovery such as education regarding the long- and short-term biopsychosocial effects of a specific substance, youth-oriented 12-Step Groups, which address how to achieve time in recovery, as well as how to best deal with intense emotions that they currently have or will encounter. Other group formats include SMART Recovery, which provides participants with tools to combat urges, and therapeutic group counseling which allows participants to develop trust and reliance in one another.
