Adolescent Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) - FAQ's
To make an appointment, please call 617-355-2727
Q: What happens in the initial assessment?
A: Assessments are conducted over three sessions. During the first session, parents meet with an ASAP mental health clinician while the teen speaks with an ASAP pediatric clinician. During the second session, the parents meet with an ASAP pediatric clinician, while the teen meets with an ASAP mental health provider. During the third family meeting, ASAP clinicians share their impressions and recommendations with the family and a treatment plan is put into place.
Q: What happens once the assessment has been completed?
A: After your appointment, you will receive a summary of our impressions and recommendations. With your consent, we will also send that summary to your child's primary care provider. The treatment plan agreed upon at the conclusion of the assessment will begin at ASAP, or if indicated, referrals will be made to community providers.
Q: How does ASAP protect confidentiality?
A: ASAP medical records are highly protected and are not accessible to any individual or agency without specific signed permission. Information the adolescent shares with the ASAP clinicians is also confidential and not automatically shared with parents, except in cases where the health or well-being of the adolescent or another person is judged to be in danger. We do encourage ASAP patients to share with their parents and we will facilitate that process with an emphasis on "the big picture" rather than on specific details.
Q: How do I tell my child about ASAP?
A: It is best to be honest with your child. Tell him or her about the appointment when you are not arguing. Explain that you are concerned about his/her drug use, and that this appointment is for an assessment and advice from physicians. If another physician or someone at school has referred you tell your child that others are concerned as well. Be clear that this appointment is not a form of punishment.
- If your child insists that you are "over-reacting," acknowledge that this may be the case, and remind her that the appointment is for an assessment. Explain that if the doctors do not find a problem you will feel reassured.
- If your child says he will not go, explain that this is an important health appointment and it is not optional. Tell him that you will go to the visit and follow the doctor's advice with him or without him, but the appointment will be much more useful if the doctors have a chance to speak to him as well.
- If your child says that all of her friends use drugs, tell her that you are concerned about her. Tell her that you are making the appointment because you love her and care about her. This appointment is not a form of punishment.
Do tell your child something about the appointment. Teens who are not given enough information may feel "tricked" into coming and may be angry with their parents. Some teens refuse to participate in a meaningful way in the interview if they find out the reason for the visit only after they arrive at the clinic.
Q: What can I do if my child does not want to go to ASAP?
A: You should explain to your child that an ASAP appointment is an important part of his/her health care, and not optional - that is that you expect him/her to keep the appointment.
If your child is under 18 years old you should attend your ASAP appointment even if your child will not. While it is always best for us to meet with your teen, we may be able to give you useful suggestions and advice even in his/her absence. In addition, your coming to the appointment without her sends a powerful message of just how concerned you are about a possible problem.
However, if you are sure your teen will not come to her appointment please call our main office prior to your visit so that we may make the appropriate adjustments to the planned clinic schedule.
Q: What if my child is over 18?
ASAP is the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program. We specialize in helping young people who are in the adolescent phase of development, which may not exactly correlate with a chronological age of 18.
If your child still lives in your home and/or you are supporting your child through school or during a period when she is unemployed we will likely be able to help. However, since a person over the age of 18 is legally considered an adult some restrictions may apply. For example, we will need your child's consent prior to speaking to you about his health without him present. Also, young adults 18 years or older have the right to restrict parents from receiving information that is placed in their medical records.
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