The Program
Providing a loving and stable home to their children is what caregivers aim for and what children need to face the challenges of growing up. Creating such an environment can become difficult for caregivers when substance use disorders come into play, either through themselves or through their children and friend circles. We offer the Strengthening Families Program as part of our Adolescent Clubhouse services to help families stay strong together.
Strengthening Families is an evidence-based family skills training program for families influenced by or at-risk for substance use disorders. The program operates from a strengths-based approach, seeking to empower the family unit and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect.
As part of The Clubhouse, the Strengthening Families Program focuses on helping caregivers strengthen and develop parenting skills that will help them provide the structure and boundaries the whole family needs to withstand substance use disorders. Together with the training the adolescents receive, the program improves family relationship skills and bonding, and fosters social competencies, prosocial friendships and a decrease in aggression and depression in adolescents.
The training program conveys five key protective concepts: parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, and social and emotional competence of children.
With the Strengthening Families Program, we want to improve parental confidence and skills to form a lasting and strengthening family bond.
Our Services
Starting in fall 2021, we will offer our first cycle of the 11-session Strengthening Families Program. Participants will have a calendar with scheduled virtual events that take place once a week for 11 weeks and are accessible via links.
While we are offering the training program virtually, we will deliver meals to the participating families’ houses for each scheduled session. We will provide supplies to all participant families prior to beginning the cycle. Once we can resume in-person services, all services will be offered at our physical space.
Virtual Schedule:
- 5:00pm-6:00pm: Family Dinner
- 6:00pm-6:15pm: Review of Program Expectations and Homework Assignments
- 6:15pm-6:45pm: Virtual Group Sessions
- Caregivers
- Adolescents ages 12 to 17*
- 6:45pm-7:30pm: Family Session
Please note that we will not be providing childcare.
*We also welcome participation of adolescents age 18 as long as they are still attending high school.
To Apply
This program is designed for families in the Harford County area.
To apply, please fill out this form online or download this pdf and email the filled out form to theclubhouse@ashleytreatment.org.
For more information on the program, please email theclubhouse@ashleytreatment.org.
Accessibility
At this time we are offering our services through a telehealth format, using the HIPAA compliant platform Zoom. This way, participants can access our services from any location, given they have access to the internet and a computer, tablet or smartphone. Telehealth services at our two outpatient locations and our Family Services Department have improved access to care and patient participation in Harford County.
Once we can resume in-person services, all services, including the meals, will be available at our physical space - location to be announced.
From Us to You
Concerns
We encourage participants and individuals to seek resolution regarding concerns or conflicts with their care team members. If an issue cannot be resolved in that manner, participants and individuals have the right to submit a complaint through this link or via mail.
Our grievance procedure is outlined in the participants’ handbook and will also be displayed in the facility. All concerns are directed to the director of The Clubhouse. To resolve the situation, we may ask you to participate in a problem-solving session with your young adult peer recovery support specialist. If this should not resolve the issue, the concern may be escalated to the vice president of outpatient services and/or vice president of clinical services of Ashley.