GIBSON CENTER CHANGES ITS LONG-TERM TREATMENT PLAN

The Gibson Recovery Center Inc., a facility that offers substance-abuse treatment, has changed the way it handles long-term care of recovering alcohol and drug abusers.

Hugh Stone, executive director of the facility, said the Gibson Center, 1112 linden, has closed its long-term domiciliary and adopted Missouri's new Comprehensive Substance Abuse Rehabilitation (CSTAR) program.

As part of the CSTAR services now being offered, the Gibson Center has opened the only CSTAR-supported group home in the state at 43 S. Lorimier.

Stone said the Gibson Center's long-term domiciliary was the only such facility in the state prior to its closing.

Stone explained that the CSTAR program, operated through a contract with the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Department of Mental Health, allows substance-abuse treatment facilities throughout the state to tap into Medicaid funds.

"But the program is also a way to provide more comprehensive services to our clients," he said.

Gibson Center offers the CSTAR program for men, women and children.

"CSTAR is really more of an enhancement of all the things we were doing before," he said. "Before, we didn't have the funding mechanism needed to lock in a physician or to designate an employee for case management.

"The new program has a holistic treatment philosophy, which recognizes the unique nature of each individual's problems, substance-abuse dynamics and the needs to specifically intervene in those areas which impede sobriety and healthy lifestyle."

Social detoxification, a short-term, 30-day residential service for men only, will continue to be offered at 1112 Linden.

Stone said each person entering the program is assessed by a physician and a licensed psychologist.

"The program also has a very good case management component. Case managers follow a person's progress, be an advocate for that person, and help make sure he gets the services he needs.

"We've always done some case management," Stone said. "But now we have a person assigned to that duty.

"This is a progressive disease," Stone said. "Through CSTAR those services can be extended up to two years."

As individuals become more self-supporting, the amount of services declines.

CSTAR includes three levels. Level one is primarily intensive outpatient day treatment, individual counseling, family therapy, group counseling, education and recreation. Clients may receive up to 50 hours a week of treatment.

Level two services include group counseling, family therapy, individual counseling and education. They are available up to 10 hours per week.

Level three services, individual, group and family counseling are available for up to five hours a week.

Stone said the group home, which can accommodate eight people, is a part of the CSTAR milieu of treatment services.

"It's also called support housing. Individuals can stay up to 90 days or we can pay one month's rent. In the very severe stages of alcoholism or drug abuse, some people need that added support in order to get reintegrated in the community in a positive way."