BAY AREA COUNCIL ON DRUGS & ALCOHOL INC

BACODA is a not for profit in the State of Texas. We were established in 1974.

Program Descriptions

BACODA’s Community Services Program serves the general population and combines a number of critical services to combat substance abuse. These services consist of:

1. Problem Identification and Referral: Early intervention services to both youth and adults which includes screening, assessments, crisis intervention counseling, brief motivation counseling and when appropriate, referral into treatment, and follow up.

2. Information Resources where community members can call (Pearland office hours 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday) and/or walk-in to obtain information, schedule education classes, receive literature and/or receive an appropriate referral. Community members can go to BACODA’s website at www.bacoda.org to get to important links, blogs, and information.

3. Services Outreach: BACODA staff providing services at places like the schools all levels, Veteran’s Administration hospitals, women’s shelters, Juvenile Justice and other social services arenas.

4. Community Outreach is provided to inform, educate, and alert the public about the effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, and to make them aware of resources in the area.

Substance abuse disorders are intertwined with virtually every other public health, social and economic problem. It has to be addressed if any progress is to be made in these other social ills. According to Texas’ Drug Demand Reduction Advisory Committee early intervention is the key to maximizing limited resources. After prevention, early intervention is the next line of defense against substance abuse. Addiction is a disease that becomes more serious over time; and the sooner someone receives help, the better their chances of recovery. Early intervention is not only critical for youth but can work for adults as well. If problems are detected during the early stages of experimentation and/or abuse, a brief period of education and counseling may be sufficient and is preferable instead of the extensive treatment that is warranted during the dependency stage. Most people do not ask for help and those that do are generally in a desperate situation. Often problems begin in the home or they come into contact with the criminal justice system, social service agencies, or work/school authorities. This is the point where intervention services are crucial. BACODA is usually the first point of contact for the family whose lives are being disrupted by addiction, or for the adult or minor who has been arrested and referred here by the courts, probation department, or school authorities.

Benefits BACODA’s clients receive are:
•Professional screening and/or assessments
•Appropriate placement with access to State-funded treatment facilities
•Effective motivational counseling and/or education to keep the client engaged in his/her recovery
•Weekly recovery groups
•Follow-up calls
* Support Groups
*Peer Support
•Client needs met in a cost efficient manor
•Increased knowledge of community resources and how to access them

Effective screening and placement systems are needed to ensure clients receive the services that are the most appropriate to met their individual need. Providing a less intensive services than is needed can lead to unsuccessful outcomes. Research indicates that while providing more extensive services than necessary reduces the number of clients who can receive services due to a finite number of bed or slots available. Proper placement not only improves outcomes, but ensures that limited resources are used efficiently.

The BACODA Youthworks program provides essential prevention and intervention services to middle, alternate education programs and high schools in five school districts in Southeast Harris, Galveston, Matagorda and Brazoria Counties.

Prevention educators are trained in providing scientifically based curriculum structured to building resistance and enhanced living skills to the youth and adolescents in school.

Benefits that the program is providing the community are:
•Youth and adolescents learn vital and necessary coping skills for dealing with stress, family issues, and peer pressures
•Youth learn healthy alternatives to alcohol, tobacco and other drug use
•Youth are exposed to community resources and taught how to access these resources
•Opportunities for the youth to experience positive peer influence through the group process

Prevention Specialists are placed on-site at five school districts (Clear Creek ISD, Brazosport ISD, Pasadena ISD, LaMarque ISD, and Dickinson ISD) to provide d prevention services to youth and their families. United Way Greater Houston funded Detour program which provides a Prevention Specialists at Clear Creek ISD at the Alternate Education Program school level.

The prevention specialists in the middle schools provide prevention services to adolescents who are considered at risk for one reason or another. They are chosen to attend prevention classes by the Principal, school counselor, concerned parents, etc. In some schools prevention education is coupled with parenting classes which greatly enhances the prevention message for the students involved.

Benefits of this program are:
•Ability to continually reach youth at various age levels with a strong prevention message
•Ability to provide schools with highly effective prevention specialists trained in the use of a science-based curriculum to address use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs
•Individualized services developed with the youth and family members to address specific issues of concern
•Skills training to build coping skills
•Liaison and advocacy services by the counselor between the family and school personnel (often youth and parents feel more comfortable and trusting with a non-school district employee when they are in an emotional crisis)
•Training and support for the school personnel (by BACODA) on best practices when working with high risk adolescents

Community Coalitions
(Southeast Harris County, Galveston County, Brazoria County, Matagorda County, Tobacco Prevention Task Force- Brazoria County, City of Pasadena Coalition and Drug Free Communities -LaPorte.)

•The mission of this program is to mobilize community resources in an effort to reduce the harmful impact of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use in the communities BACODA serves.
•BACODA’s four coalitions work to affect change by using “environmental prevention strategies” that has proven highly effective on the national and state levels.
•Each of BACODA’s coalitions is as unique as its community members and the specific community problems they address.
•Examples of Coalition work
 Educating the public on how the media influences youth behaviors
 Working with local law enforcement to find more effective ways to enforce underage drinking laws.
 Working with retailers to help eliminate the sales of alcohol products to minors.

Benefit for the community members is getting involved in a community effort to make change.

Summary

BACODA strives to offer current, scientifically based solutions to a growing problem in our community. Through the provision of prevention education and skills building it can prove possible that a child armed with this education and these skills will not experiment or use. It is through education that an individual who has reached a crossroads in his/her lives, usually due to an incident such as a DWI, will take stock of their situation, become educated with the facts about the disease and decide to make a change. It is through the counseling services (Community Services) offered at BACODA that many people have gotten help and live more productive lives today. Though Coalitions whole communities can come together to work for change and that change is definitely possible. BACODA offers much needed services. We believe in the communities we live in and believe that together we can make a difference.