Dr. Jose Salazar, Director of Program Development at Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles has written an article about substance abuse among older adults for Aging Today.  This is a great source for those wanting information about how the elderly fall into alcoholism or drug addiction over life issues, and the treatment they need.  With a growing population of aging adults, it helps everyone to be aware of possible alcohol abuse and drug abuse issues they will face.

Read the full article at this link:
http://www.agingtoday.org/at/at-311/pdfs/ATv31n1_Salazar.pdf

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides culturally sensitive alcohol and drug treatment to older adults.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

After years of suffering, and finally making the decision to enter alcohol and drug treatment, the last thing alcoholics and drug addicts want to do is wait.  Forms need to be completed, printed and signed, and all of that paper used can’t be good for the environment.  Digital signatures address both of these issues.

When alcohol and drug treatment centers stay current with technology in health care, the main goal is to improve patient outcomes.  Any new technology aims to provide better security, efficiency in treatment, and the ability to store and share information between staff professionals.  But even with efficient systems in place, paperwork can seem overwhelming to patients being admitted to treatment.

Many individuals entering alcohol and drug treatment require medical detoxification to minimize withdrawals.  The decision to enter treatment may have taken months, partially out of fear over alcohol, heroin, or prescription drug withdrawals.  Once they enter the doors of a facility, with no access to their drugs of choice, that fear makes every minute seem like an hour.

Suddenly, they are faced with a stack of paperwork that needs to be read and signed.  Before they are halfway through the stack, physical signs of withdrawal may begin to appear.  No matter how quickly an admissions counselor wants to proceed, this work needs to be done to ensure patient security and proper treatment.

Paper use is a problem in this process, as well.  If two professionals need to see a form at the same time, it means that copies need to be made.  Most of those copies are shredded after use.  Digital creation and storage of many forms minimizes waste, but there are still some that need patient signatures.  This still means that paper is printed, copied and shredded over and over again.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles has addressed this issue by incorporating digital signature capturing into the admissions and counseling process.  Patients can now proceed through the admissions process without waiting for forms to print.  They can simply sign them using a digital signature pad during the admission interview process, effectively cutting the admission time in half.

When patients complete the admissions process, they are walked into a treatment unit with minimal paperwork.  This not only saves paperwork, but also provides better security for patients.  This is because their detailed information is only available on a secure network computer, accessible only to treatment staff.  It also means that two professionals can look at the same information simultaneously, without needing to make copies.

Our goal is to be completely paperless as a health care organization.  The ability to capture digital signatures provided a bridge over a big chasm that prevented us from reaching that goal.  This took some time to accomplish, but it was worth it considering that we made great leaps toward two of our goals.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles uses the latest technology to provide effective alcohol and drug treatment.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

A comprehensive alcohol screening tool released by the Boston University School of Public Health is available for public use.  This short questionnaire does more than simply determine whether or not individuals suffer from alcohol dependence.  It goes beyond that to assist those who may want to simply alter their drinking habits.

Most alcohol screening tools will assess users for alcohol dependence first, and then, if they are not, point them to informative content about alcohol abuse and dependence.  It seems more effective that a screening tool would assess for a range of problems from alcohol abuse to alcoholism, since there is a difference.

Alcohol abuse can cause legal, financial, and relationship problems even if it only occurs once, for example.  If someone who normally doesn’t drink heavily decides to drink in celebration one night and gets arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), it could also cause problems at work and home.  While this scenario is rare, it does happen.  There are individuals who suffer alcohol related problems every day that result from a range of occasional abuse to alcohol dependence.

The alcohol screening tool by jointogether.org provides tailored information for anyone dealing with alcohol related problems in all ranges of use.  It will tell you if your problems are minor and what you can do to resolve them, or if you need to contact an alcohol treatment center immediately.  Then it provides a directory of local providers in your area.  The link below will bring you to the page so you can get started.


Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides alcohol detox and alcohol treatment.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a safe and effective method for alcohol and narcotic withdrawal and maintenance.  There is ample evidence suggesting that harm reduction strategies should be more widely available to those suffering from alcohol dependence and drug addiction.  Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles has taken note of these facts, and offers several medication assisted treatment options.

Traditional alcohol and drug treatment services help many individuals to begin a life in recovery and improve their lives.  MAT is utilized in medical detoxification at the start of treatment to minimize withdrawal symptoms from alcohol and other drugs.  This process is important since patients must be medically stable before beginning the process of recovery.

For some, though, relapse commonly follows traditional treatment.  This is generally due to alcohol cravings and opiate cravings that vary greatly from patient to patient.  Medications like Suboxone, Vivitrol, and Methadone help to minimize cravings so these individuals may begin the process of recovery, medically stable and in a receptive state of mind.

For more information, click the link below:


Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles offers many medication assisted treatment options.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

California has designated the month of April as Multi-Cultural Health Month.  The focus for 2010 is on heart disease in men, the number one killer in the state.  Alcoholism and drug addiction can lead to heart disease in those who suffer.  Since the disease of addiction crosses cultural boundaries, Tarzana Treatment Centers is happy to participate in bringing awareness to the public about multi-cultural health care.

Any discussion about multi-cultural issues can be extended to include what are known as subcultures.  A subculture can be any group that shares concerns, values, traditions, and other areas of interest.  Effective alcohol and drug treatment requires knowledge of and specialization for certain subcultures because, even though addiction is the same for everyone, leading individuals to recovery requires empathy.

Focusing on subcultures is not about pigeonholing individuals.  The point is to be aware of cultural beliefs that come from being a part of a subculture, and to treat patients with sensitivity to those beliefs.  This helps to keep patients in treatment when relapse interventions are needed, and connects existing positive beliefs with the benefits of long-term recovery.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles focuses on cultural sensitivity among staff in many ways.  Even though we only hire direct patient staff that has completed courses in treating patients from subcultures, we provide staff trainings on the subject.  There are rarely any language barriers, as well, since we have many staff members who speak various foreign languages.  Best of all, we provide specialized services for some cultures and subcultures.

Our highly regarded HIV services program has evolved over the past two decades.  The needs of gay and transgender patients in HIV treatment require special focus, especially when alcohol dependence or drug addiction is a factor.  Because of this, both staff and other patients attend education groups so HIV positive patients can feel comfortable and their privacy remains intact.

We also have a Native American alcohol and drug treatment track that brings culture and tradition into treatment.  Native American men still suffer a high incidence of alcoholism, which is often responsible for heart disease.  The program includes traditional sweat lodge ceremonies and in-house Wellbriety groups.

Other individuals who may require special attention are undocumented persons, women with children, veterans with mental health needs, those with hepatitis C or Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and senior citizens.  There are too many subcultures in America for anyone to relate to them all.  But since our staff is so culturally diverse, it is likely that all subcultures can feel comfortable with us.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides all of the services listed above and more.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Patient safety is a top priority for any health care provider that is accredited by the Joint Commission of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO), as it should be for all of them.  In order to ensure patient safety, all staff members in a facility need to be well informed.  On the other hand, most of the general public is not so well informed of how they can protect themselves in a health care setting.

All staff members at Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles attend required training sessions, live and online, so patient safety is guaranteed to be a priority on all levels of service.  In providing alcohol and drug treatment and integrated behavioral healthcare, we focus on everything from floor coverings to medication interactions.  

Patients should be aware of their own rights and responsibilities as they relate to safety, as well.  While we make it a practice to orient new patients in these areas, there are things that they can do to streamline the admission process by being prepared.

JCAHO has posted a Patient Safety Quiz on its website that is meant to educate the general public.  It is a simple quiz that takes just a few minutes.  After completing the quiz, you will be led to a page with a great deal of information on patient safety.  Follow the link below for the quiz:


Tarzana Treatment Centers is accredited by JCAHO, and prioritizes patient safety in all of our integrated behavioral healthcare services.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Women suffer from alcohol dependence and drug addiction with many of the same problems as men.  Gender plays a role in the start of alcohol and drug use, the drugs of choice, and some of the problems associated with addiction.  And in some cases these problems can cause mental health issues.

Alcoholism usually comes over time with men, as opposed to women who tend to move more rapidly towards dependence.  This is generally due to differences in how the body metabolizes alcohol.  So women discover sooner than men that alcohol causes problems for them, and either seek alcohol treatment or accept the problems so they can continue drinking.

With drugs, women may seek more than euphoria when they use drugs.  Drug use trends among women are higher with stimulants and prescription drugs than for marijuana.  It is generally considered that teen cocaine and methamphetamine use among women is because they are very weight conscious.  And prescription drugs are often used in response to adolescent anxiety or depression in women more than men.

When women engage in alcohol abuse or drug abuse, problems can begin before dependence sets in.  Men may take advantage of women sexually and emotionally, and abusive relationships may develop.  Dependence brings more problems that can lead them to prostitution or other behaviors that lead them to see all men as victimizers or tools for validation.

While men and women benefit from co-ed drug treatment, these are times when gender-specific treatment may be necessary.  Women sometimes benefit from being in women-only alcohol and drug treatment to begin the healing process.  And if they have children, it is an added benefit when childcare and parenting classes are included.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides gender-specific treatment to eligible women, along with childcare, as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help for alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Alcohol and drug treatment for some requires a gender-specific setting.  While alcohol dependence and drug addiction are generally treated the same regardless of gender, a co-ed setting can be a distraction for some valid reasons.  So an alcohol and drug treatment provider that offers gender-specific treatment removes the distraction and improves the opportunity for long-term recovery in these cases.

All alcoholics and drug addicts engage in negative behaviors that can cause long-term psychological issues of one kind or another.  In most cases they can find freedom from them with the help of addiction counselors and a program of recovery.  But for some these behaviors can cause paralyzing phobias, anger, and habits that prevent them from focusing on treatment in a co-ed setting.

Women, for example, may believe that men are untrustworthy because all of the men they encountered during alcohol or drug use were predatory.  Or they may have used sex as a means of getting the drugs they needed, again with predatory men, which can link sexuality to personal validation.  And some were involved in abusive relationships with men, which can lead to fear and anger with all men.  In many cases, these problems are discovered by counselors in alcohol and drug detox units.

All of these, and other factors, distract women if they are in alcohol and drug treatment with men.  They not only benefit when men are not present in treatment, but also when treatment staff and mental health professionals can focus on women’s issues during treatment.  Combined, treatment is more effective and provides the opportunity to correct habits and heal the very real pain.

There are also women with children who have no means to leave home for treatment while providing care for them.  Or, they don’t feel comfortable leaving a child for several weeks or months.  When treatment includes parenting classes and groups, as well as childcare, these individuals have access to treatment and don’t need to worry about the care their children are receiving.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles offers women-only and women with children treatment, to eligible patients, as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one has a problem with alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

A lot has been said in recent months about the use of technology in health care.  Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to innovate and improve the way it uses technology in alcohol and drug treatment.  Applications are used in every aspect of our work from customer service, to productivity, to reporting.

Starting with our Reception Log, customer service is streamlined at our front door.  This application is used by all of our staff members who meet with our clients and visitors.  Our receptionist enters information about the client or visitor and who they came to see.  The time is automatically recorded and the staff member is notified with the visitor’s name and purpose.  

Staff is responsible for each individual assigned to them.  Whether individuals have an appointment or not, staff will greet them and either meet with them or set a later appointment.  The Reception Log application follows each individual until they have been admitted to treatment or they depart the facility.  

The Reception Log is valuable for customer service because it cuts down on wait times in the lobby.  Admissions staff, for example, can see that a new patient is in the lobby and deliver paperwork to them, getting the process to admit started.  This is important to new patients and their families, especially if they are in need of alcohol or drug detox treatment.

In terms of productivity, counselors and technicians in our residential rehab, outpatient, and medical detoxification units view the log so they can be ready for the arrival of new patients.  This alerts staff to free time for new arrivals, but it also gives inpatient staff members time to make sure they feel welcome.  For detox this is especially important as new arrivals typically are in the early to mid stages of withdrawal.

Tarzana Treatment Centers provides many services through various private and government funding sources.  The Reception Log allows us to quickly produce reports when requested, and we can do so while maintaining our strict confidentiality standards.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles uses technology to provide all of our services as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Alcohol and drug treatment is more affordable than most Americans think, apparently.  It is understandable if their only source of information is the major media, where only very expensive celebrity treatment centers are discussed.  These cost a small fortune, but most are reasonably priced, like Tarzana Treatment Centers.

Quality treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction should not require people to mortgage their homes.  Celebrity rehabs, as they are generally called, provide special services to the very wealthy in order to provide comfort and distraction-free treatment.  For the great majority of alcoholics and drug addicts, they are not necessary and can even be detrimental to successful treatment.

At Tarzana Treatment Centers, we provide integrated behavioral healthcare that includes alcohol and drug detox, adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment, mental health care, and HIV/AIDS services.  We offer residential and outpatient services.  

In many cases, due to the many contracts we have with insurance carriers, treatment is much more affordable than you think.  We also work with community based organizations to help some individuals get into alcohol and drug treatment, like AAIR for Native Americans.

If you are in need of alcohol or drug treatment, money does not need to be a deciding factor in getting it.  Please call Tarzana Treatment Centers today at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

The information below is from University of Maryland’s CESAR Fax, which is published periodically.  The portion below details people of all income levels are misinformed about the cost of alcohol and drug treatment.

-- Begin external content --

Nearly half of U.S. adults say that they would not be able to afford alcohol or drug treatment if they or someone in their family needed it, according to a telephone survey conducted this past June. While adults with annual incomes under $50,000 are most likely to say they would not be able to afford treatment (67%), more affluent adults also perceive an inability to pay for treatment. Thirty percent of those with incomes between $75,000 and $100,000 and one-fourth of those with incomes above $100,000 didn’t think they would be able to afford treatment if they needed it. R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, recently stated that his office will be “working to ensure drug abuse treatment services are incorporated into our national health care reform process.”*

-- Source: http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/cesarfax/vol18/18-27.pdf --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community.  The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.