Thunder Road Treatment Manual: A Hybrid Therapeutic Community Treatment Model

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Authors: Patricia Shane, Ph.D., Linda Cherry, M.A., Randy Snowden, Tom Gerstel

Author Contact Information:
Dr. Patricia Shane
510.549.3430
pshane@psi.org

This manual describes a unique hybrid model that integrates aspects of three treatment philosophies: social model/therapeutic community, medical/psychiatric models, as well as 12-step recovery. Thunder Road serves high severity adolescents with substance use and co-occurring psychiatric disorders, through short (30-50 days) and long-term (6 – 12 months) residential treatment tracks with a step-down outpatient continuing care phase. The program’s therapeutic milieu incorporates psychiatric and pediatric services, individual, group and family therapy, an onsite school, multidisciplinary assessments and treatment planning by a multi-disciplinary staff. The manual describes key clinical design concepts and program components of this promising treatment approach.

Included in the manual are the following topics:

• Program background and guiding principles
• Staffing pattern and multidisciplinary team approach
• Treatment environment
• Steps through the treatment model
• Behavior modification and therapeutic milieu concepts
• The residential phase of treatment
• The continuing care phase
• Family systems
• Quality assurance and standards

ATM107