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Description

Daytop provides services for those who seek help with life's problems compounded by substance abuse. Over 100,000 individuals have reclaimed their lives with assistance of the program.

Daytop is based on the therapeutic community (TC) concept: a highly structured, family environment where positive peer interaction is emphasized. Separate and individualized programs are available for adolescents, adults, and all family members.

Substance abuse, at whatever level, disrupts people's lives, and the lives of those who care about them. Daytop seeks to heal the whole individual, and also his or her family and social network. Issues such as physical health, education, and work preparedness are all part of restoring our clients and their families to health.

The staff consists of professionals in the fields of psychology, social work, medicine and education, as well as Daytop graduates who have gone through intensive training and certification in counseling.

Daytop has been providing drug-free counseling services since 1963, making it the oldest and largest drug-free, self help program in the United States.

Daytop Mission Statement

Daytop Inc. of New York is committed to addressing the substance abuse and life problems of adolescents and adults. Daytop contends that people are the captains of their own destiny and only they can do it, but they cannot do it alone. Positive peer interaction is emphasized in a highly structured familial environment known as a Therapeutic Community. Within this milieu Daytop offers an integrated holistic treatment regime, which is multi-disciplinary in nature. Daytop is committed to returning clients to society as productive, responsible and drug-free citizens. Treatment is provided to all clients without discrimination, including those without adequate financial resources. At all times the dignity, rights and needs of each client are preserved and respected thus reducing the stigma of persons served.

Daytop Philosophy

I am here because there is no refuge.
Finally, from myself.
Until I confront myself in the eyes
and hearts of others, I am running.
Until I suffer them to share my secrets,
I have no safety from them.
Afraid to be known, I can know
neither myself nor any other, I will be alone.
Where else but in our common ground,
can I find such a mirror?
Here, together, I can at last appear
clearly to myself not as the giant
of my dreams nor the dwarf of my fears,
but as a person, part of a whole,
with my share in its purpose.
In this ground, I can take root and grow,
Not alone anymore as in death,
But alive to myself and to others.

Adolescent

Adolescents come into the Daytop program with many kinds of behavioral issues with family, school, social, some of which were compounded by substance use. Because of this wide range of problems, adolescent clients may receive treatment in either a daycare or residential setting, short or long-term, according to an in-depth assessment of their needs. These services are available for youngsters ages 12-21.

Education and family issues are crucial in any program for young people. All adolescents without a high school diploma continue their education while at Daytop. Families of clients are encouraged to be involved in the treatment process, and attend family support groups and activities.

Our adolescent treatment programs are based on the therapeutic community concept, which combines the elements of a family-based structure and positive role models with individual and group counseling, family therapy, art feelings workshops, informational seminars, medical and mental health services, relapse prevention support, and recreational activities.

Adolescent Daycare

Outreach centers are located in the communities they serve. Adolescents may go there for day and after school programs. If they go during the day, the teens continue their education at the centers Monday through Friday. School runs from 9 until 3, and clinical activities run from 3 until 5 in the afternoon. At our New York centers, Saturday mornings are used for facility responsibilities, sports, and other activities. Outreach centers include all the counseling services of a therapeutic community.

When they are ready, adolescent daycare clients move on to an Aftercare phase. In this phase they may return to their neighborhood high schools, begin college, or start working, and go to the outreach in the afternoon or evening. This can be a stressful time as they return to the responsibilities of a complete life, and practice the mature behaviors they have been learning. Daytop counselors support them through this stage, and encourage them in setting and reaching for new goals.

Adolescent Residential

Residential centers provide in-depth, full time exposure to a structured lifestyle and positive peers. The curriculum integrates educational, clinical, and social activities, and is designed to teach responsibility and life management skills.

Residential treatment can range in length from 3 to 12 months, depending upon the assessment of each adolescent. For specifics of Adolescent Residential treatment in New Jersey, visit www.DaytopNJ.org.

An Aftercare plan may include a return to the Outreach center in their home area, further schooling, counseling, and support groups as needed. The adolescents can take on new responsibilities in stages, knowing that their counselors and all the resources of Daytop are available to help them adjust and continue to set new goals for themselves.

If an adolescent needs to complete the program at a residential site, there is an adolescent Re-entry unit at our facility in Far Rockaway, Queens, with a complete complement of counselors, a branch of The Daytop Preparatory School, and provisions for further academic or vocational training.

Adult

Adult Long Term Residential

Residential services for adults are designed for those who require intensive, 24-hour supervised treatment. Facilities are located in Dutchess and Sullivan Counties of New York State.

Intake and assessment for residential treatment in New York takes place at our office at 500 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. The Residential program occurs in three stages. In Entry, the client attends orientation seminars and groups to understand the treatment process he or she is about to undertake. During this time additional assessments are made about the client's clinical, legal, and medical needs. Based on these assessments and the input of our trained counselors, an individualized treatment plan is developed.

These upstate campuses are set on large tracts of land, in country settings, with several buildings to accommodate the medical services, workshops, and recreational activities integrated into the treatment plans. Clients participate in individual and group counseling, and all the clinical activities of the therapeutic community. As in all Daytop components, family involvement is encouraged through all stages of treatment. Part of the treatment plan for an adult will also include some form of education, vocational training or job readiness.

By the time they reach the third stage of Re-entry, clients are increasing their responsibilities to themselves and to their families. As with all Daytop programs, family involvement is encouraged throughout treatment. In Re-entry, clients continue their participation in clinical activities and begin to integrate the skills they learned into their lives: they see their families more, start seeking employment, and find housing. The purpose of Re-entry is to allow clients the time to experience stressful new situations, while under the guidance and support of our Daytop counselors. They are encouraged to keep practicing their new, healthy behaviors while adjusting, and develop a support network that will serve them after they leave the program.

Adult Short Term Residential

Some clients who are primarily in the Outpatient program may participate in a short, intensive residential phase. This phase may last from 30 to 60 days and is based in our Manor House facility in Dutchess County, NY. The short term residential program is followed by a return to an outpatient component.

Adult Outpatient

Clients who are able to sustain themselves in an ambulatory setting participate in our adult outpatient program. This is designed to meet the needs of working people and those who cannot leave their home responsibilities. Schedules and specialized services are based upon each client's particular situation and needs.

This outpatient modality offers a full range of therapeutic activities including individual and group counseling, where family and significant others are encouraged to become involved. Several of our outreach centers have programs under an OCJS (Office of Criminal Justice Services) contract, to which clients are referred by parole and probation officers.

In the later stages of treatment, clients participate in relapse prevention groups to prepare for program completion and graduation. As with all other Daytop programs, Alumni meetings, counselors and a support network for graduates and their families are always available.

DAYTOP ASSOCIATION OF ALUMNI AND FRIENDS

"What goes around, comes around." and "There's no free lunch." If these phrases strike a cord with you, come join us at the Daytop Association of Alumni and Friends meetings and social events. It's a great way to reconnect with people you knew "when" and make new friends. And it's not a bad way to network.

Alumni members participate in Daytop events throughout the year, such as the Roxy Kalajian Memorial Scholarship and Luncheon, and the Strawberry Festival, a street fair on Madison Avenue. Each year the Association puts on one large social event, which attracts over 300 attendees. Association dues are based on a sliding scale, starting at $5 per year. Members receive the DAAF newsletter, published every 2 months, which has a distribution of 900.

A new chapter is starting up in Suffolk County NY, and a new project just under way is called a "place of memory." We want to build a memorial and meditation area on the grounds of one of our facilities, and DAAF is looking for design ideas.

If you, or someone you know, has been out of touch for a while, come join us.

Art Feelings Workshops

The basic premise of the Art Feelings Workshop is that painting is a vehicle of expression. The primary purpose of the process is to assist each resident in experiencing his or her own feelings and to help each participant acquire new insights. The workshop serves to help the clients articulate their feelings in a safe, non-threatening arena.

Outcomes Management System (OMS)

As part of its Quality Assurance efforts, Daytop Village operates an Outcomes Management System (OMS) in all its residential and outpatient programs. The OMS continuously assesses the agency's treatment effectiveness, its efficiency, and our clients'

satisfaction with the services we offer. It measures client progress in treatment on various aspects of recovery from drug abuse. From their admission to treatment until 3 months after discharge from Daytop, all clients are regularly requested to complete a confidential questionnaire and express their drug craving and use, addiction severity, vocational/educational, legal, medical, social and psychological status and related needs. Based on the Therapeutic Community model of addiction treatment, the OMS questionnaire also monitors the following dimension of behavior and attitude change:

* Developmental Dimension (maturity, responsibility, and values) (see chart)
* Socialization Dimension (drug lifestyle, social image, work attitude, and social skills)
* Psychological Dimension (cognitive skills, emotional skills, and self esteem)
* Community Membership (understanding of rules, and participation)

In combination with socio-demographic data and profiling Daytop's diverse client populations (e.g., by age, gender, criminal justice involvement, medical conditions, etc.), OMS results are fed back to the Daytop Quality Improvement System and all staff. Internally, OMS results assure that Daytop remains responsive to its client population, and they provide the basis for service improvements and program monitoring. Externally, the OMS serves Daytop's accountability obligations and accreditation requirements. The OMS was implemented in all residential facilities 10/01/99, and in all outpatient programs in February 2001.

Exemplifying the data the OMS provides, this chart documents the drug use by adolescents, divided by gender, in 2000. This type of information is taken into account when updates and revisions are made to treatment curricula.

Recreation

The Recreation Department assures that the resident's physical needs are met as a part of the overall comprehensive treatment plan. Daily exercise is an essential part of recovery. When the mind and body are being attended to, the emotional dimension is also experiencing an uplifting. Intramural and individual sports are played throughout the year depending upon the season, i.e. softball, basketball, track, weightlifting, swimming, aerobics, handball and volleyball.

Women's Programs

Women in treatment (adult and adolescent) have distinct needs and issues that must be recognized and addressed. The problems women encounter may be as mild as conflicting messages about gender roles or as intense as sexual abuse and violence. It is the responsibility of the Women's Programs Division to insure that Daytop provides a haven for discussion and resolution of these problems.

Once a woman finds the courage to face her past and seek help, she often experiences difficulty in divulging it openly and honestly in a coed setting. It is for this reason that Daytop initiated a new program in our residential facilities, targeting incoming women. This new program limits mixed gender activities for a clinically determined period, while intensifying specialized groups to afford these women the opportunity to discuss their commonalties without fear of judgement, and promotes female bonding that continues throughout treatment. The program focuses on building ego strength and self-esteem, empowering the women to move forward to drug-free lifestyles.

Women with children face added adversity. They live each day with the shame and guilt of neglecting parental responsibilities, and in many cases are forced to leave their children with family members or foster care programs when accepting the opportunity of treatment. While growing and making positive changes, reuniting with their children becomes yet another challenge. The Women's Program conducts parenting education that provides residents with the information and encouragement to overcome their anxieties and address this major responsibility. Social workers also monitor their progress and assist in reuniting their families.

Another vital component of the Women's Programming Division is the annual conferences established for all adult and adolescent females throughout the agency. Forums led by professional guest speakers expose our women to successful and positive role models. Additionally, specialized workshops recognize the courage of Daytop's women while reinforcing Daytop's commitment of upholding the struggles of our female population.

Family Association

For those whose loved ones are substance abusers, Daytop's Family Association can be a place of refuge where sanity is restored to their lives. Membership is open to anyone whose family member or significant other has abused drugs: those whose loved one is in treatment at Daytop, in treatment at another program, or not yet in treatment at all. The Association is run by family members for family members. They have support groups and informational seminars all designed specifically for those dealing with the effects of someone else's substance use.

Through the Family Association you can:


* Receive on-going emotional support when you need it
* Regain a perspective on your own life
* Let go of the pain and suffering
* Understand why your loved one turned to drugs
* Learn how to guide your loved one into treatment

Family Therapy

Licensed Family Therapists are part of the clinical team which formulates and monitors each client's treatment plan. Family sessions may be scheduled at different points throughout the program, depending on individual need. It is crucial for both client and family members to learn healthy ways of interacting, to heal the family unit and rebuild the communication and trust which were disrupted by one member's substance abuse.

CARES

The Community Assistance And Resources for the Elderly Shut-Ins program (CARES) provides meals for the homebound elderly and transportation to senior center and medical appointments. Daytop clients who participate in the program gain a responsible attitude and an awareness of the needs of others in their community. For more information call Al Mazaltov in Brooklyn 718-625-1388.

DPEP

The DPEP program (Daytop Parents Educating Parents) educates parents to recognize the warning signs of substance abuse in children. DPEP speakers stress the importance of early detection of behavioral changes which could signal drug experimentation and use. Awareness and early detection is the greatest prevention! The information given at a DPEP presentation prepares parents to intervene in the early stages of substance use. Pretending it can't happen to you may allow your child's situation to go too far.

DPEP speakers are members of your own community who have already experienced the horrors of substance abuse. They share these experiences on a personal and real level. They are your neighbors. DPEP presentations can be scheduled for groups at your schools, churches, synagogues and community organizations. There is no cost for this service. The program is available in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Rockland, Staten Island, Suffolk, and Westchester. To schedule a presentation contact the Outreach center near you.

Peer Education and Prevention Speakers

Daytop provides speakers and presentations for community organizations, schools, health fairs and the like. The focus of these programs is on reaching adolescents before they become involved in drugs. As the DPEP program allows parents to identify with other parents, peer education involves adolescents speaking directly to other adolescents. They can relate to each other about school and family issues of today, and impress upon a young audience the reality of drug experimentation and addiction.

The Concept

The Concept is a play performed by Daytop residents dramatizing what it's like to be caught up in drug use. Performances are most often given to school audiences, at no cost. The play itself runs 45 minutes, and time is left for questions and answers afterward. The cast is available for performances February through June.

Adolescent Education

Education is a significant aspect of recovery, and is integrated into the client's treatment plan. All adolescents who do not have high school diplomas continue their education at Daytop. Many of our students have gaps in their educational history because of issues related to their treatment needs. All incoming students receive a diagnostic evaluation to determine their present levels and needs. The goal is to prepare students to be on a level with their peers when they return to their local schools.

Daytop Preparatory School

Daytop Prep is a Registered Nonpublic School for adolescents in New York State who are in treatment for problems related to alcohol and substance abuse. Students work toward a HighSchool Diploma. They can take Regents and standardized tests, and credits can be transferred to the students' home school districts. On average, 92% of our students who participate in Regents exams pass and proceed to their next grade. Our students typically have not experienced success in school prior to coming into Daytop. Our small classes and individual instruction make school a positive experience as they target personal goals specific to each student's academic plan.

Daytop Prep has 7 campuses on the Daytop facilities in Rockland, Suffolk, Westchester, and Dutchess Counties.

NYC Department Of Education

Clients in treatment at our Outreach centers within the boroughs of New York City attend classes staffed by New York City Department of Education teachers. This includes the centers at the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island Outreach centers. Students prepare for and take all standard tests appropriate for their grade levels.

New Jersey

Small classes and individualized instruction are given to students, on campus, at all our centers. For specifics of education at our New Jersey centers, visit www.DaytopNJ.org.

Adolescent GED Classes

Students above compulsory education age may work toward a General Equivalency Diploma. Classes are held at all adolescent facilities, and include test preparation. Tests can be taken, as well, at two of our residential sites. Most trade schools and community colleges accept the GED in lieu of a High School Diploma. Due to small classes and individual attention, our Daytop adolescent students pass this rigorous test at a rate of 89%. This is significantly higher than the New York state average.

Adult Education

For Adults in a residential program who do not have a high school diploma, further education is almost always part of their treatment plan. Daytop offers adult GED (General Equivalency Diploma) and ABE (Adult Basic Education) classes on campus. Preparation for taking the tests for these certificates, and the tests themselves, are administered at a facility.

College

There are two groups of clients at Daytop who may be in college while in a treatment component. Adolescents at an outreach who complete their high school education may begin college. They are likely to be in the Aftercare phase of treatment by this time.

Those in residential components, who have a high school diploma or GED, may take Community College courses on campus upstate. These are integrated into their treatment plans, and their goals are monitored as they proceed to Re-entry or Aftercare.

Daytop International

"You can't keep it unless you give it away"

In response to an overwhelming demand for Daytop Treatment Services, from countries around the world, Daytop International was established in 1984. During the past sixteen years Daytop International has assisted over sixty-six countries in establishing treatment programs based on the self-help social learning model. Working from a global community perspective we recognize that solving our substance abuse problems requires a collaborative effort. As drug use and addiction emerge in nearly every country around the world, the impact is undeniably devastative on individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole. Daytop's desire for a Drug Free World demands that we share our experiences, in the field of drug treatment, with our brothers and sisters around the world. Daytop International provides training, technical assistance and support to countries responding to this global problem.

Program Objectives
1. To introduce and develop competency in the Self-help Social Learning Treatment Model.
2. To provide technical assistance for government and non-government organizations in matters of program development and implementation and the use of the Self-help Social Learning Model.
3. To create a global network of resources for addiction treatment specialists.

As an internationally recognized leader of drug rehabilitation, in 1987, Daytop received Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Daytop actively participates in sessions of the Council.

The Daytop concept is now utilized in 66 countries around the world:

Argentina
Hungary
Philippines
Austria
Indonesia
Poland
Australia
Iran
Portugal
Bahamas
Ireland
Saudi Arabia
Bahrain
Israel
Scotland
Belize
Italy
South Africa
Brazil
Ivory Coast
Spain
Brunei
Jamaica
Sri Lanka
Burma
Japan
Sweden
Canada
Kazakhistan
Switzerland
China
Lebanon
Tajikistan
Chile
Malaysia
Thailand
Colombia
Malta
Trinidad
Denmark
Maldives
Turkmenistan
Egypt
Mexico
United Kingdom
El Salvador
Nepal
Uruguay
Germany
Netherlands
Venezuela
Guam
New Zealand
Yugoslavia
Holland
Norway
Honduras
Pakistan
Hong Kong
Peru

Following an initial assessment of the substance abuse situation in the country, Daytop International deploys its training staff to introduce the concepts of the self-help social learning treatment model. The Daytop training program covers four distinct, yet overlapping treatment components that are essential to the treatment of addiction. Technical assistance and consultation are available to assist in the development of treatment programs utilizing this model. Internships in Daytop, USA are available for therapeutic staff of programs dedicated to the model.

Medical



Daytop's Medical division provides comprehensive primary medical care with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention. Daytop employs Board Certified Physicians, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Registered Nurses, Certified Social Workers, and Registered Dieticians in our residential and outpatient centers.

Nursing & Physician's Services

All clients entering a Daytop program are given a detailed health assessment to identify past and potential health problems. Substance abuse often causes clients to neglect their health and develop medical problems secondary to their lifestyle. Early diagnosis, treatment, and education assist the client in developing and maintaining behaviors that are conducive to living a healthy lifestyle.

Nutrition Counseling & Workshops

At Daytop, we believe it is important that clients learn and practice better personal health and food safety. A registered dietician makes seminar presentations to adolescent and adult clients about the basics of good nutrition and how to apply these principles. A doctor or nurse may refer an individual for a dietary consult based on medical findings or gastro-intestinal problems related to nutrition. The dietician schedules follow up visits to help the client understand and incorporate their special diet into their lifestyle.

Clients in residential treatment learn about proper kitchen assistance, food safety and sanitation from the cooks and dieticians. HIV-positive clients in our outpatients programs learn about nutrition, food safety, and get to sample healthy meals at weekly nutritional workshops.

HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) SERVICES

Substance abusers, particularly those who injected drugs, and those who have had multiple sexual partners are at high risk for HIV. In response to the need for early diagnosis and treatment of HIV, Daytop provides culturally relevant HIV counseling, testing and partner notification. Comprehensive medical treatment including diagnostic testing, education, medication management, nutritional counseling, and acupuncture are offered to the HIV positive clients. Psychiatric counseling, treatment, support groups, and Spiritual Retreats specifically designed for our HIV population augment the medical treatment plan.

As is the case with the HIV epidemic, substance abusers who injected drugs and have had multiple sexual partners are also at high risk for HCV. Daytop provides education, counseling, testing, treatment and referrals for HCV.

The Ryan White Outpatient Medical Care Program enhances existing diagnostic and treatment services for individuals with HIV/AIDS and who are co-infected with HCV. Services include physician exams, bloodwork , and supplying medication, regardless of their insurance status. These services are provided at three Daytop facilities: in Manhattan at 500 Eighth Avenue; and in Queens at our Jamaica and Far Rockaway facilities.

Services under this program include:

* Physician's and nursing services
* Psychiatric evaluation and treatment
* Case management
* HIV treatment education
* Acupuncture
* Pharmacy
* Nutrition workshops and food pantry

Vocational

The goal of the Vocational Education program is to prepare Daytop graduates to be productive and self supporting. The first step is a Vocational Education profile of the client's current status, which includes education and employment histories, previous training, legal history, drug, social, and medical histories, and reading & math levels. Then counselor and client work on an initial needs assessment including long and short term goal development.

OVR & VESID

Vocational counselors work with a number of outside agencies including OVR (the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation), VESID (Vocational Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities), vocational training schools and Community Colleges. Through these programs, eligible clients can obtain vocational training in fields such as heating and air conditioning repair, food service, and commercial driving. Some programs result in professional certificates.

Job Readiness And Placement

Besides education and training, job readiness includes such issues as job search strategies, how to write a resume, and how to conduct oneself on an interview. For Daytop clients it may also include how to balance job, family, and financial planning. Daytop maintains a network of employment contacts to assist clients with their job search. Counselors also direct clients to government agencies and placement offices which are helpful in gaining employment.

DAYTOP HISTORY

On July 30, 1957, Father William B. O'Brien, a young parish priest from Tuckahoe, NY on duty at St. Patrick's Cathedral, was fatefully drawn into the seamy world of drug abuse and crime. The mother of a gang member frantically came to the priest for help when her son, along with seven others, was accused of the murder of a rival gang leader. Father O'Brien quickly realized that the common denominator in this, and most other street crime, was drugs. Deeper inquiry revealed an appalling scarcity of programs treating substance abuse with any measure of success.

In the 1950's, the public attitude was "once an addict, always an addict." Neither jail nor hospital stays seemed to make a bit of difference to an addicted person. Father O'Brien started researching other means of treating addiction. One of the places he looked at was Synanon. In 1958, Charles Dederich, himself a recovering alcoholic, started Synanon as a community of recovering people. This system was based on group encounters and addicts confronting each other, demanding self-revelation and responsibility.

Concurrent with Father O'Brien's search, a group of learned men from the Brooklyn Court system was on a similar quest. Dr. Alexander Bassin, Chief Researcher for the Kings County Supreme Court Probation Department, was perturbed by the disheartening results of turnstile sentences given to addicts. Dr. Bassin's strength of purpose spurred his boss, Joseph Shelly; criminologist Herbert A. Block; and Dr. Dan Casriel, a consulting psychiatrist with the Brooklyn Court, to a nationwide search for an effective response to the addicts who showed up in their courtrooms. They also saw possibilities in Synanon.

By a fortuitous turn of fate, Father O'Brien and Dr. Casriel chose the same day to visit the Synanon intake center in Westport, Connecticut. What they saw there convinced them that they were on the right track.

Dr. Bassin's team from the Brooklyn Court, based on their findings, applied for and were granted $390,00 from the National Institute of Mental Health on April 15, 1963. This grant led to the founding of Daytop Lodge at Butler Manor, Staten Island. This first rehabilitation facility was designed for 22 male probationers from the Brooklyn corrections system.

The basics of the treatment program were group therapy sessions, role modeling, job assignments and a hierarchy of peers. As residents progressed, they received more responsible duties, and earned more privileges. Those coming after them could see that others like themselves were gaining respect, and that life without drugs was possible. These basic elements have remained, as the therapeutic community evolved to meet the changing populations and needs of the clients.

The early days of Daytop Lodge were stormy with shifting leadership, which culminated in its absorption into Daytop Village, Inc. in October 1964 at Prince's Bay, Staten Island. The Staten Island community was adamantly against Daytop's presence in their neighborhood, and hundreds of residents picketed, and managed to block funding for the new agency for many months.

By now Daytop Village was a full-fledged therapeutic community, whose residents included men and women, arrestees as well as voluntary referrals. As Daytop's success in drug treatment became known, the need for treatment centers grew. Father O'Brien and his Board of Directors began to look at Sullivan County in the Catskill Mountains of New York State for more space. By moving treatment centers out of the city, they also would remove the residents from the temptations of the city. The first such residential facility was Daytop Swan Lake, which opened in June 1966.

In the next couple of years it became evident that there was a problem with more casual drug users, as well as hard-core addicts. In response, Daytop developed its first outpatient center. This facility (or outreach), located in Mount Vernon in Westchester County, New York, opened in 1968 and served residents of the community.

In the late 1960's conflict over the Vietnam war and drug use as rebellion surged throughout the youth population of the country. There was more and more need for rehabilitation programs. Daytop expanded with more residential facilities, and more outpatient centers throughout the New York Area.

As each center opened, there was initial community opposition, but as Daytop proved to be a good neighbor, this attitude changed. Still political resistance continued, sometimes opposing and delaying funding. In 1972 Daytop was completing negotiations for the building that is now Daytop World Headquarters, and funds weren't available for the down payment. Daytop turned to its Family Association, which is an organization of concerned family members of Daytop clients and graduates. Through an incredible effort, they raised the $100,000 needed for that down payment in less than thirty days!

Community support has come and gone and come again. The profile of our clients has changed over the years. The numbers of adolescents using drugs keeps going up, and their ages keep going down. Parents recognize that early treatment can save much pain and trouble later, and so these adolescents are getting help sooner. Employers recognize that trouble on the job may be a sign of substance abuse, and refer their employees to programs for help. Medical, educational and other services have been added to treatment programs to meet the needs of new populations. But Daytop has kept the basic tools that proved successful so many years ago and adapted them to today's changing population. And Father, now Monsignor, O'Brien, still passionately presides over this miracle of amazing change and growth flourishing at our treatment centers.

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