Substance Abuse and Addiction Awareness Week - Providing Young Adults with Services Tailored to Their Reality and Needs

MONTREAL, Nov. 15, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - As part of National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW) held from November 14^th to 20^th 2021, Portage wants to highlight implemented solutions to provide young adults aged 18 to 21 with addiction rehabilitation services that reflect their reality and meet their needs.

Indeed, the organization has more than twenty years of expertise in care tailored to young adults since its New Brunswick adolescent program already welcomes 18- to 21-year-olds and has had positive results. This year, the Saint-Malachie drug addiction rehabilitation program intended for adolescents aged 14 to 18 was also adapted to young adults to better support them in making the transition to adulthood and foster their recovery.

Small Changes, Big Results

Numerous studies have shown that 18- to 21-year-olds experience situations that are closer to those experienced by adolescents rather than adults, specifically a lack of autonomy and school dropout. The programming was revised with this in mind and adapted to meet their specific needs. Young adults are given the opportunity to continue high school or college part-time during their therapy, thus promoting their social reintegration once they have completed the program.

As this adjustment is finally on point, 18- to 21-year-olds now represent 50% of the residents in these programs. Portage strongly believes in the merits of this action and will continue to expand its programs for both Francophone and Anglophone adolescents at its Lac Écho centre in the Laurentians.

Citations

"The society we live in is changing and so are individuals. It is natural for us to always want to improve and adapt our programs to better serve our clients. Thanks to our qualified staff and adapted programs, we have been helping residents overcome their drug addiction and supporting them towards a healthier lifestyle for nearly fifty years."

-Peter Howlett, President and Founder of Portage

"We have noticed a huge benefit in including 18- to 21-year-olds in adolescent programs with which they have a lot in common. The transition from adolescence to adulthood is an important period for young people and we are happy to be able to provide them with a program suited to their reality within a therapeutic community to which they identify and integrate more easily."

-Cindy Chabot, Director, Portage Saint-Malachie

About Portage

Since 1973, Portage has helped tens of thousands of people suffering from substance abuse problems to overcome their addiction. The organization provides a range of services tailored to the needs of adults, adolescents, mothers with young children, pregnant women, as well as men and women with mental health problems. Portage offers free treatment programs that are recognized and certified by Accreditation Canada.

Portage operates several drug rehabilitation centres in Quebec: in Montreal, Prévost (Laurentians), Quebec City and Saint- Malachie (Chaudière-Appalaches). Two other centres cater to residents of Ontario and Atlantic Canada. For more information, go to www.portage.ca.

SOURCE Portage

Jessica Rousseau, TACT, Cell: 438 396-8288, [email protected]; Source: Seychelle Harding, Portage, Tel.: [phone], extension 1118, [email protected]