Elements for building a culturally specific addiction treatment program.
Addiction treatment tailored to specific cultural, ethnic and racial groups has been recognized as optimally effective. Alaska rural and Native cultures have healing elements that serve well in addiction treatment. However, it is not sufficient to "add on" a culturally orientated group to an already well defined program. In order for these cultural elements to be fully effective the basic philosophy and orientation of that modality of the treatment program needs to be based on them. Such program development needs to be implemented in a clear, coordinated and consistent manner. It is postulated that program modalities that offer a culturally specific theoretical base will be more effective then programs based on the medical model.
Sullivan
A
A
Department of Psychology, University of Alaska-Anchorage 99508.
D000413:Alaska; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*