The "Concerned Other" Call: Using Family Links and Networks to Overcome Resistance to Addiction Treatment

• Published in: Substance use & misuse Vol. 34; no. 3; pp. 363 - 382
• Main Authors: Garrett, James, Stanton, M. Duncan, Landau, Judith, Baciewicz, Gloria, Brinkman-Sull, David, Shea, Robert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Informa UK Ltd 01-01-1999; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Addiction; Adult; ARISE intervention; Biological and medical sciences; Concerned others; Drug Abuse; Drug Addiction; Family; Family - psychology; Health Care Costs; Humans; Intervention; Medical sciences; Mental health; Network; Organization of mental health. Health systems; Patients; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Resistance; Role; Self Help Groups; Significant Others; Social Influence; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Social Support; Substance abuse; Substance-Related Disorders - therapy; Treatment; Treatment engagement; USA; United States; North America; America; Social environment; Human; Drug addiction; Treatment; Telephone call; Mental health; Family environment; Health service; Public health
• ISSN: 1082-6084; 1532-2491
• DOI: 10.3109/10826089909035651

Untreated chemical dependency costs the United States over $165 billion annually. Meanwhile, treatment offsets these costs by a ratio of $7 saved for every $1 spent. But the vast majority of chemically dependent people (CDPs) remain uninvolved in either treatment or self-help groups. It is therefore imperative that more effective ways be developed for therapeutically engaging them. One avenue is to maximize the opportunity presented when a "concerned other" (CO) person-such as a family member, friend, coworker, or clergy member.-contacts a treatment agency to get help for a CDP. This paper provides a method for handing such calls. Specific guidelines are presented as to (a) the kind of information to be gathered, (b) procedures to be followed, and (c) options to be offered toward mobilizing the CO and other family/social network members in successfully effecting CDP treatment engagement.