Summary

The Multi-Family Group for Substance Use Treatment is a two-day intensive or a 16-week group curriculum for the patient, spouses, parents, siblings, and partners. The two-day intensive program is the preferred delivery method. It consists of six elements: 1. Assessments of patient and family members for need and readiness to accept changes in their lives. 2. Psychoeducation Group to help the family to develop an understanding of addiction, realize that that their experiences and feelings are not unique and that they can set healthy boundaries for themselves. 3. Dyads with the support and guidance of two trained clinician, to allow the family and the identified client to share how the addiction-related behaviors have impacted their relationship 4. Informal interaction with other family members. While this element may seem inconsequential we believe that it is a vital element for success. When family members share intimate information with one another they are more apt to trust and bond. 5. Goal and Relapse Prevention Planning to assist the family to generalize lessons learned in the program.6. Outcome measurement using the Hopefulness-Hopelessness Scale before and at the completion of the multi-family group.