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Phoenix House Awarded Million-Dollar Grant to Provide Mobile Outpatient Services

Grant Expands Efforts in Hampden County

SPRINGFIELD, MASS, October 4, 2006 -- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded $1.1 million over the next three years to Phoenix Houses of New England (Phoenix House) allowing the organization to bring innovative mobile treatment services to juvenile offenders and their families in the Hampden County Juvenile Drug Court.

The grant significantly strengthens the partnership between Phoenix House and the Juvenile Drug Court.

The mobile treatment model, which has shown to be both outcome- and cost- effective in SAMHSA field trials, enables Phoenix House and the Juvenile Drug Court to deliver individualized, family-based drug and alcohol treatment services to the homes and neighborhoods of drug court participants, and to extend treatment services from Springfield and Holyoke to some of the more suburban parts of the county – notably the areas of Palmer and Westfield.

“It is difficult for many working parents to be as involved in their child's treatment as they need to be. This model treatment program brings the treatment to them, and addresses the needs of the adolescent and the family, both individually and as a unit,” said Sue O’Connor, lead case coordinator for the Hampden County Drug Court.

“It can be adapted to the parents' working schedule and has a strong record of success in both urban and rural communities, making it perfect for Hampden County.”

Ms. O’Connor said the collaboration with the juvenile court probation officers and trial court staff, along with the guidance of Judge Rebekah J. Crampton-Kamukala, has contributed greatly to the success of the program.

“Their help and support have been amazing,” according to Ms. O’Connor. “And the beauty of this grant is that it will allow us to go out into the communities where these kids live.”

The grant includes funding for outcome evaluation by Brandeis University’s Schneider Center for Behavioral Health.

Phoenix House has served Springfield, MA since 1967.

Contact:

SO’Connor@phoenixhouse.org