PROCEED, Inc

Alcohol Abuse

Dealing with alcoholism is not easy, but recovery starts with admitting that you have a problem with alcohol and then taking steps to seek help. If individuals are committed to getting sober, it is possible to recover from any degree of alcoholism. If you have a pattern of drinking that negatively impacts you from carrying out major responsibilities at work, school, or home; if you drink and drive; if you are facing legal problems because of alcohol; or if continued drinking is affecting your relationships with other people, then is time to seek professional help begin working towards a lasting recovery.

Through PROCEED’s outpatient treatment program, clients work through the 12-step approach as they participate in one-on-one counseling sessions once a week and group counseling sessions once a week. Additionally, clients are required to attend at least one Alcoholics Anonymous meeting a week and to maintain a record of attendance.

The length of the program is typically six months; however, the length of treatment can be extended if the client is not yet stable enough to leave treatment. Those charged with a Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) offense and referred by the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center program are required to complete at least sixteen weeks of treatment, which can be extended as well.

Alcohol abuse does not only affect an individual; it disrupts the dynamic of the individual’s family as well. For this reason, family members are highly encouraged to participate in the treatment program, both through formal family counseling sessions and informally at home by providing the individual in treatment with a support network as he or she moves into sobriety.

In addition to the actual components of the treatment plan, such as educational workshops and random urine testing, clients benefit from working with highly trained staff and New Jersey Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors. All counseling is age-appropriate; we offer programs for both adolescents and adults.

To be eligible for the Alcohol Abuse Treatment Program, individuals must live in Union County. They can request services themselves, or they can be referred by: the Intoxication Drivers Resource Center, parole or probation officers, detoxification programs, hospitals, or other service providers  

For more information about the Alcohol Abuse Treatment Program or to learn how you can get involved, contact Rafael Alvarez  (908) 351-7727, ext. 232 or Elizabeth Linares at (908) 351-7727, ext. 233.

Drug Abuse

The purpose of PROCEED’s Outpatient Drug Abuse Treatment Program is simple and perhaps self-stated—to help individuals stop using drugs, maintain a drug-free lifestyle, and achieve productive functioning in the family, at work, and in society.  Because drug abuse and addiction have so many dimensions and disrupt so many aspects of an individual's life, treatment is not simple. Addiction is typically considered a chronic disease, and most people cannot simply stop using drugs for a few days and be cured. Instead, they require long-term or repeated episodes of care to achieve the ultimate goal of sustained abstinence and recovery.

With personalized care and plenty of resources, PROCEED offers effective treatment that attends to the needs of the individual, not just his or her drug abuse. This is achieved by individual treatment and service plans that are developed and continually modified as necessary to ensure that they meet the client’s changing needs. Services that are always provided include: drug use monitoring, as lapses during treatment do occur; in-house HIV testing; referrals for Hepatitis B and C, Tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases testing; and risk reduction counseling that teaches clients to modify or change behaviors that place them at risk of contracting or spreading infectious diseases.

Clients participate in one-on-one counseling sessions once a week and group counseling sessions once a week. Additionally, they are required to attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings once a week and to maintain a record of their attendance.
The length of the program is typically nine months to one year; however, it can be extended if the client is not yet stable enough to leave treatment. Upon completion of the program, clients are encouraged to continue attending aftercare group counseling sessions once a month for the next 6 months.

Drug abuse indirectly affects the entire family. For this reason, family members are highly encouraged to participate in the treatment program, both through formal family counseling sessions and informally, at home, by providing the individual in treatment with a support network as he or she moves into sobriety.

In addition to the actual components of the treatment plan, such as educational workshops and random urine testing, clients benefit from working with highly trained staff and New Jersey Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors. All counseling is age-appropriate; we offer programs for both adolescents and adults.

To be eligible for the Drug Abuse Treatment Program, individuals must live in Union County. They can request services themselves, or they can be referred by: Intoxication Drivers Resource Centers, parole or probation officers, detoxification programs, hospitals, or other service providers  

Both injection and non-injection drug users have successfully completed the Drug Abuse Treatment Program and are highly encouraged to take the first step and enroll.

For more information about the Drug Abuse Treatment Program or to learn how you can get involved, contact Rafael Alvarez (908) 351-7727, ext. 232 or Elizabeth Linares at (908) 351-7727, ext. 233.

Read below to learn more about specific programs offered.

Connections/Connexiones

The Connections/Connexiones to Care Project, like its name implies, seeks to link individuals to community resources through outreach services and referral networks. Its focus is on reducing substance abuse and HIV/AIDS transmission by using MIP—the Modelo de Intervención Psico-Médica. The MIP curriculum is comprised of seven one-on-one counseling sessions conducted over a 3-6 month period by a team of experienced professionals. As they move through the seven sessions, clients decide which one to work on first, according to their interests and the session’s relevance. Session topics vary from seeking substance abuse treatment to learning healthy habits that protect sex and/or needle-sharing partners.

Specific services provided include: pre-substance abuse treatment counseling, HIV testing, case management, individual counseling, group counseling, family counseling, transportation to services, HIV/AIDS-related education, and random urine testing. Services are conducted in the community and at PROCEED’s offices. Clients are referred to additional community services, as appropriate.

Individuals are encouraged to take the first step and make an appointment by calling (908) 351-7727 to learn more about the Connections/Connexiones to Care Project and the MIP curriculum. To reach those who may not know about our services or may be hesitant to contact us, staff members conduct extensive community outreach. From PROCEED’s vans, the staff builds long lasting relationships with the target population. These relationships help reduce substance abuse and prepare participants for entry into substance abuse treatment.

With MIP, participants:

• Identify and try specific ways to reduce sex and injection-related HIV risk
• Are offered assistance to obtain health and other social services;
• Are prepared to become ready to enter into drug treatment programs, if they choose to do so;
• Are provided with HIV counseling and testing messages and or referrals for Viral Hepatitis and other Sexual Transmitted Infections;
• Are helped to identify triggers and practice relapse prevention skills;
• Create an action plan; and
• Recognize critical support systems for maintaining behavior change.

To be eligible for the Connections/Connexiones to Care Project, clients must be active drug users, and residents of Union County.