Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC) Outpatient Review
Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC) in Cedar Rapids offers all manner of care to adults and adolescents with substance abuse issues—from residential treatment to outpatient services and aftercare. Since 1962, the heart of the program has been the same: to cultivate long-term sobriety from drugs and alcohol through the implementation of the 12-step method. To that end, clients at the outpatient level with co-occurring disorders can look to Area Substance Abuse Council staff for referrals, but there are no doctors or nurses on staff. Area Substance Abuse Council is no hospital: it is a decades-old operation geared to support the low income individual and family who want to make better choices.
Treatment and Staff
Area Substance Abuse Council is not a medical facility and does not offer detox. In Cedar Rapids, there are two ASAC offices where clients can receive outpatient care: on its main campus and at the downtown office. At both facilities, clients have the option of the intensive (IOP) or extended outpatient program. During admission, clients take an assessment to determine which program’s pace would best accommodate their needs.
IOP lasts for 18 weeks at ASAC. The first phase is 10 weeks. During this time, clients come together for group therapy three times a week for three hours at a time and meet with a counselor individually once a week—a standard amount of therapy for most intensive outpatient programs. In the final eight weeks of IOP, clients meet once a week for a 90-minute group therapy session. Clients also meet with their counselors individually as needed during this two-month period. The extended outpatient program is a step down from IOP. Clients are usually in extended outpatient for between six and 12 weeks. These clients do not have mandated individual counseling sessions but arrange them as needed.
As the relative laxity around one-on-one appointments indicates, the central modality of ASAC’s recovery program is the peer support element of group therapy. CADCs facilitate groups that focus on particular themes, like drug of choice, relapse prevention and cultural challenges, as well as gender and age-specific challenges. Groups also educate clients about the 12-step philosophy. ASAC recommends 12-step attendance for all of its clients: AA, NA, or Alanon.
At ASAC’s downtown office, multicultural treatment is provided for those of Hispanic and Latino descent and for African Americans.
While they go through outpatient treatment, at whatever level, ASAC clients are invited to live in affordable transitional and halfway housing. Halfway housing is offered on the main campus, on Heart of Iowa campus, at King House and Hightower Place. Long-term transitional living is offered at ASAC’s apartments in Cedar Rapids called The Way Home and in Clinton, 90 minutes east. Residents participate in different levels of outpatient services based on need. When they are able, clients are expected to find employment and to contribute to their rent. Responsibilities of living in these houses include chores, meal preparation and finding a 12-step sponsor.
In Summary
Area Substance Abuse Council focuses on the specific challenges men and women face in recovery, based on personal and cultural background. The option to live in a sober house with a certain amount of structure could be comforting (and necessary) for clients in early recovery and the exposure to the 12 steps is a proven form of aftercare.
Area Substance Abuse Council Location
Area Substance Abuse Council
Main Campus
3601 16th Avenue SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Area Substance Abuse Council Cost
Sliding scale. Reach Area Substance Abuse Council by phone at (310)-390-4611 or by email at info@asac.us. Find Area Substance Abuse Council on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest
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