A Short-Term Intensive Treatment Program for the Alcoholic

Abstract

This article presents a description of a short-term, intensive (3-4 weeks) treatment program for the chronic alcoholic. Recent studies suggest a trend toward shorter treatment programs. This condensation of treatment implies that treatment be reviewed and program philosophy restructured to meet the new time constraints. The treatment modalities of such an intensive program are discussed and early follow-up questionnaire data are presented. Findings indicate that: (1) sobriety decreased over time following discharge, (2) employment increased, and (3) 50% or more of the clients availed themselves of treatment-oriented services following discharge (i.e., Alcoholics Anonymous, group or individual psychotherapy).