About Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston Children’s Hospital’s Adolescent Substance Use and Addiction Program is an outpatient, family based addiction treatment program in Boston, Massachusetts serving children, adolescents and young adults evaluated before age 24.
Part of the hospital’s Division of Addiction Medicine, ASAP offers comprehensive evaluation and therapy, parent guidance, case management and medical consultation.
The program provides nationally recognized leadership in pediatric addiction medicine, helping young patients and their families navigate substance use challenges with expert, coordinated care.
Pediatric and Adolescent Treatment
ASAP specializes in addressing substance use disorders in youth, with a multidisciplinary team of pediatricians, psychiatrists, licensed independent social workers and case managers trained in addiction medicine.
The program is built specifically around the developmental needs of adolescents and young adults, not adapted from adult rehab models.
Diagnostic assessment is structured across three appointments over two to three weeks, with both pediatric and mental health clinicians participating.
From there, families engage in individual counseling, group therapy and parent focused components, with referrals to higher levels of care when clinically appropriate.
Medication Supported Recovery
ASAP also supports adolescents with co-occurring psychiatric conditions through psychopharmacology for dually diagnosed youth.
Medication supported recovery is available for opioid and alcohol dependence, and the team can consult alongside an existing mental health support team to integrate substance use expertise into ongoing care.
Access, Location, and Insurance
ASAP delivers in person outpatient care at 300 Longwood Avenue in Boston, on the main Boston Children’s Hospital campus, with administrative hours Monday through Friday.
The hospital works with a wide range of private insurance plans as well as MassHealth, and families are encouraged to verify coverage directly.
Facility Overview
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Accepted Insurance
Other Forms of Payment
Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.
Private insurance refers to any kind of healthcare coverage that isn't from the state or federal government. This includes individual and family plans offered by an employer or purchased from the Insurance Marketplace. Every plan will have different requirements and out of pocket costs so be sure to get the full details before you start treatment.
Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.
Financial aid can take many forms. Centers may have grants or scholarships available to clients who meet eligibility requirements. Programs that receive SAMHSA grants may have financial aid available for those who need treatment as well. Grants and scholarships can help you pai for treatment without having to repay.
Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance for those 65 and older. It also serves people under 65 with chronic and disabling health challenges. To use Medicare for addiction treatment you need to find a program that accepts Medicare and is in network with your plan. Out of pocket costs and preauthorization requirements vary, so always check with your provider.
Addiction Treatments
Levels of Care
Outpatient programs are for those seeking mental rehab or drug rehab, but who also stay at home every night. The main difference between outpatient treatment (OP) and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) lies in the amount of hours the patient spends at the facility. Besides their substance abuse treatment, they also offer an outpatient program for eating disorders issues. The treatment include nutritional rehabilitation, hormonal therapies and more.
Drug and alcohol addiction often takes a heavy toll on one's body. Over time, a physical dependence can develop, meaning the body physiologically needs the substance to function. Detox is the process of removing drugs and/or alcohol from the body, a process that can be lethal if mismanaged. Medical detox is done by licensed medical professionals who monitor vital signs and keep you safe, healthy, and as comfortable as possible as you go through detox and withdrawal.
Residential treatment programs are those that offer housing and meals in addition to substance abuse treatment. Rehab facilities that offer residential treatment allow patients to focus solely on recovery, in an environment totally separate from their lives. Additionally, they offer inpatient services for those teens who are struggling with eating disorders issues.
Treatments
The goal of treatment for alcoholism is abstinence. Those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders tend to relapse within a few years of treatment. For these people, success is measured by longer periods of abstinence, reduced use of alcohol, better health, and improved social functioning. Recovery and Maintenance are usually based on 12 step programs and AA meetings.
Addiction is a highly complex problem, and drug rehab in Massachusetts is often necessary to address it. These programs treat physical, mental, and relational issues that are involved. Treatment empowers individuals to manage these issues without the use of drugs.
Many of those suffering from addiction also suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders. Rehab and other substance abuse facilities treating those with a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder administer psychiatric treatment to address the person's mental health issue in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Boston Children's at Waltham offers psychopharmacology for dually diagnosed adolescents.
A combined mental health and substance abuse rehab has the staff and resources available to handle individuals with both mental health and substance abuse issues. It can be challenging to determine where a specific symptom stems from (a mental health issue or an issue related to substance abuse), so mental health and substance abuse professionals are helpful in detangling symptoms and keeping treatment on track.
Opioid rehabs specialize in supporting those recovering from opioid addiction. They treat those suffering from addiction to illegal opioids like heroin, as well as prescription drugs like oxycodone. These centers typically combine both physical as well as mental and emotional support to help stop addiction. Physical support often includes medical detox and subsequent medical support (including medication), and mental support includes in-depth therapy to address the underlying causes of addiction.
Clinical Services
Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, and dysfunctional eating patterns. Many psychologists and other mental health professionals consider eating disorders to be food addictions, meaning food is being used in an addictive way (similar to drug or alcohol addiction). Certain substance abuse treatment programs will have treatment for eating disorders as one of the services offered. An eating disorder may also present as a co-occuring disorder or dual diagnosis alongside drug and alcohol addiction.
Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.
In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.
Nutrition therapy, aka medical nutrition therapy (MNT), is a way of treating physical, emotional, and medical conditions through diet. Specific dietary plans are designed by professional nutritionists or registered dietitians, and patients follow them in order to positively affect their physical and mental health.
Recreational therapy (aka therapeutic recreation) uses creative and fun activities to help with addiction recovery. Recreational therapists lead patients in entertaining and engaging activities like sports or games; art (drawing, painting, sculpture); drama, music, and dance; and/or community outings (field trips) to improve patients' physical, social, and emotional well-being.
Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.
Amenities
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Private Setting
Staff & Accreditations
Staff
Kevin B. Churchwell, MD
President & Chief Executive Officer
Dick Argys, MHA
Executive VP, Hospital COO & Chief Culture Officer
Doug Vanderslice
Executive VP, Enterprise Services & System CFO
Laura J. Wood, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Executive VP, Patient Care Operations & System Chief Nursing Executive
Stacy S. Drury, MD, PhD
Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science
Accreditations
The Joint Commission, formerly known as JCAHO, is a nonprofit organization that accredits rehab organizations and programs. Founded in 1951, the Joint Commision's mission is to improve the quality of patient care and demonstrating the quality of patient care.
Joint Commission Accreditation: Yes
Accreditation Number: 5505
Contact Information
300 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
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