NU-D.A.Y.
Northeastern United for Drug Affected Youth
The NU-D.A.Y Program offers three valuable program tracks:
Alternative Peer Group Program
The Alternative Peer Group model is designed to address the emotional, psychological, spiritual and social needs of teens struggling with substance use disorders both individually and in their families. By integrating peer support and community with therapeutic clinical services, the APG model has proven to be an effective intervention to address the explosion of drug use by youth and communities as a whole.
Brief overview of APG model: The basic components of an APG are as follows:
- Mentorship: Young adult role models in recovery who have received specialized training in how to mentor youth with substance use disorders.
- Counseling: Less central in an APG than in a traditional outpatient model, counseling is provided by a licensed mental health professional who specializes in adolescent SUD issues.
- Psychosocial Education: Non-clinical in nature, psychosocial education groups cover topics spanning the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Eight Dimensions of Wellness
- Family Support: A once-weekly family support group will be offered for parents, guardians, and other family members
- Self-Help Meetings: Self-help meetings will be offered twice weekly at the APG and facilitated by a mentor or by a youth leader.
- Social Functions: Weekly social functions may include open mic night, poetry slams, sporting events, hikes, beach days, and more.
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible to participate in the APG, a youth must be between the ages of 13-17 living in Essex, Union, Hudson or Middlesex counties; diagnosed with a substance use disorder (mild, moderate, or severe); and/or effected by substance use indirectly.
*** Priority will be given to youth who are involved with the justice system***
Services Offered: APG services will run for 2.5 hours three evenings per week. Weekend activities will also be offered on a rotating schedule.
*** Upon completion youth will be encouraged to continue to attend weekly self-help groups and social/recreational activities***
Program Length: Minimum of 10 weeks
Celebrating Families!™
The Celebrating Families!™ curriculum is an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral support group model written for families in which one or both parents have a problem with alcohol or other drugs.
Celebrating Families!™ works with every member of the family, ages 3 through adult, to strengthen recovery from alcohol and/or other drugs, break the cycle of addiction and increase successful family reunification.
Celebrating Families!™ fosters the development of safe, healthy, fulfilled and addiction-free individuals and families by increasing resiliency factors and decreasing risk factors while incorporating addiction recovery concepts with healthy family living skills
Eligibility Criteria: Families impacted by a parent or caretaker’s substance use disorder (SUD).
Services Offered: The 16-week curriculum will be offered three times per year, with one round being offered in Spanish.
Program Length: 16-week Curriculum
Community Reinforcement And Family Training
The CRAFT Model teaches family members & loved ones how to take care of themselves and how to change interactions with loved ones struggling with substance use, encouraging them to seek treatment.
CRAFT teaches several skills, including:
- Understanding a loved one’s triggers to use substances
- Positive communication strategies
- Positive reinforcement strategies – rewarding non-using behavior
- Problem-solving
- Self-care
- Domestic violence precautions
- Getting a loved one to accept help
Services: Weekly 1:1 caregiver support with a trained peer, weekly CRAFT support group, monthly CRAFT workshop
Eligibility Criteria: Caregivers of a loved one struggling with substance use disorder in Essex, Union, Middlesex & Hudson counties.
This program is grant-funded and there is no cost to participate.
Contact Info
NU-D.A.Y.
121-125 Chestnut Street Suite 301,
3rd Floor Roselle, New Jersey 07203
Phone: (732) 381-4100
Email: recoverysupport@preventionlinks.org
Prevention Links
121-125 Chestnut Street Suite 301,
3rd Floor Roselle, New Jersey 07203
phone: 732-381-4100
TTY: 732.381.4192
Fax: 732.381.0140
info@preventionlinks.org