WHY SPJ?
SPJ Consultants has been providing mental
health and substance abuse treatment and programs for over 20
years. Our services are therapeutically based as opposed to
psycho-educational. Licensed or
credentialed professionals that are bound by law and ethics
provide services. Confidentiality is maintained.
Low Recidivisim
Rate
Our clients have a recidivism rate of less than 1% as
opposed to psycho-educational clients that repeat offend almost 70%
of the time.
Screening
All potential clients are screened for mental health and
substance abuse issues. Appropriate programs are used for the
issues to be addressed and programs are developed based upon the
needs of the client, their family, and society.
Community-Based and
Community-Oriented
The majority of our programs are conducted in the privacy
and intimacy of the home. All programs include the family and
are designed to change behavior without punishing. Family
change is the primary focus.
Medical
Supervision
Medical doctors monitor our clients when necessary.
When medication is suggested, we monitor compliance and
protocol. No one is forced to take medication.
Accountability for behavior is emphasized.
Therapy
Therapy, when recommended, is provided by trained,
qualified, and licensed individuals. Providers are assigned
to clients based upon need and appropriateness. All
provisions of therapy meet COMAR requirements.
Providers
Specific disciplines are chosen to meet the needs of the
clients and referral sources. Provider lists are available
upon request and list licensure levels and area of
speciality.
DUI/DWI
Treatment
When addressing repeat DUI/DWI charges, the real issue is not
drinking or substance abuse. The core issue is the use of a
motor vehicle while impaired. SPJ Consultant's Referrals and
Memorandum's of Understanding (MOU's) are specifically designed to
prevent the future use of a motor vehicle when the client is
impaired due to substance abuse or emotional issues.
Emotional and mental health issues that have gone undiagnosed or
untreated prior to an infraction usually lead to self-medication
and criminal offenses. Most DUI/DWI repeat offenders
self-medicate in order to deal with other issues. The core of
these issues is usually found in the home or at work. SPJ
provides in-home services in order to empower the family, client,
and employer in changing the behaviors in question.
Theoretical
Approach
Psycho-educational programs usually prevent recidivism 3 out of 10
times. AA/NA programs work if people go of their own free
will. ORDERING people to attend educational programs only
embarrasses them and encourages them to hide their problems behind
closed doors while punishing their families and employers. In
contrast, SPJ's services monitor the progress of the client and the
family until the behavior has changed. After participating in
our services, fewer than 1 out of 100 of our clients get behind the
wheel of a vehicle again while under the influence.
Domestic Violence,
Anger Management, and Abuser Intervention Treatment
SPJ's services do not FORCE clients to admit to crimes for which
they have not been tried. We help clients identify the root
causes of violent outbursts while teaching alternative methods for
dealing with violence, anger, mental health, and substance abuse
problems. We have found that when clients understand their
behavior, have family support, AND have alternate methods of
working things out, the cycle of abuse is broken.
Format
Format varies. Men, women, and adolescents are treated in
separate forums. Our programs all start with a referral, and
screening is conducted in either the prospective client's home or
our offices. The client's family is advised of the screening
results. Unless the family is given the opportunity to
participate, success is short term. We utilize the resources
of communities and outside meetings. Drug testing is a part
of the service profile we adhere to and we use vehicle
inter-lock devices when helpful.
Violence abatement programs
include small group sessions in addition to individual
sessions. Each plan is tailored to the client and
confidentiality applies. If we do not respond to inquiries,
it is because the client has either withdrawn consent OR they are
here as a referral from their attorney in preparation for a legal
defense. We always issue reports by exception. Our
participants perform community service hours and visit
various emergency and trauma rooms as well as shelters
and treatment centers. If an in-patient stay is recommended,
we make the arrangements.
Program
Duration
There is no set time frame. The formats for DUI/DWI
and Violence Abatement programs can be 6, 12, 26, 48, or more
sessions. Clients progress at their own rate and a 26-session
psycho-educational program may be extended for up to two
years. Clinicians and programs decide the time based upon the
client's needs. There are no failures in our programs.
Some clients take longer than others to complete programs, and we
do not punish them for being ill. A doctor would not
discharge a patient if they did not respond to chemotherapy for
cancer, and we do not punish families when the treatment is
ineffective. We continuously review our client's progress and
make the necessary adjustments until behavior changes. SPJ
works with our clients, their families, and employers to make lives
better and society safer.
Admission
Clients can self-refer for any of our services. The majority
of our clients come to us via attorney referrals as part of their
preparation for a legal defense and in order to utilize our
"one-stop-shopping" concept. Admissions may be facilitated in
person, via phone, by the referral source or any number of other
ways. Once a client is enrolled in services, they are
scheduled to be clinically evaluated in accordance with our
MOUs. Additional services can, and usually are, recommended
by the specific agency providing the services. At present, we
have MOUs with substance abuse therapists, LCSW-Cs, Ph.D.s, M.D.s
(various specialties), sex addiction specialists, in-patient
facilities, non-profit agencies (for community service
requirements), acupuncturists, child-adolescent specialists,
attorneys, mediators, and others. All providers that we work
with are independently licensed or credentialed in the State of
Maryland. Although we do not accept insurance, we work
closely with our clients in order to maximize any reimbursements
they may be entitled to. Additonal information may be
obtained by contacting us directly.
If we can be of
assistance to you, your agency, or your community, please call
us. We can either help you develop a protocol, or we can
provide one for you.
