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E5 - Innovative Group Treatment in an Outpatient Opioid Replacement Therapy

Elizabeth Bredin, LICSW, Program Director, Bay Cove Treatment Center, Boston, MA

Julia Carlson, LICSW, Senior Clinician, Bay Cove Treatment Center, Boston, MA

The Bay Cove Treatment Center is a clinically-oriented methadone program treating dual-diagnosed patients. The treatment contract includes one individual and at least one group session weekly, daily methadone dosing, and random bi-weekly swabs. Focusing on short-term, goal-oriented 12-16 week groups, we redesigned the program to achieve the following goals:

• Increase group attendance and cohesiveness
• Promote measurable life skills
• Match group experience to specific patient needs
• Decrease relapse
• Introduce self-assessment form on group experience to evaluate positive behavioral change and increased life skills.