Professional and collegiate team assistance programs: services and utilization patterns.
Elite professional and collegiate athletes underuse stress control, mental health, and substance abuse treatment services. Behavioral health services use can be increased by establishing on-site, sports-specific services. Like Employee Assistance Programs of industry and government, Team Assistance Programs (TAPs) address critical issues such as substance abuse prevention, tobacco cessation, stress recognition, mental illness management, injury rehabilitation, performance enhancement, and cultural support. Strong links with the team's medical and conditioning staff can ensure a steady stream of TAP referrals and build trust with players and team staff. This article describes nine years of operation for two professional TAPs and three years for one college TAP. Use patterns and linkage strategies with team physicians, trainers, strength staff, chiropractors, and nutritionists are discussed.
McDuff
David R
DR
Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. dmcduff52@yahoo.com
Morse
Eric D
ED
White
Robert K
RK
D004300:Doping in Sports / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology*; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration*