Sequoia Adolescent Treatment Program

Adolescents today face many challenges: family issues, school difficulties, social acceptance, peer influence and trying to find out where they fit in. Their teenage culture tells them that drinking alcohol and experimenting with drugs is the "norm." Prairie Ridge has seen a big increase in methamphetamine use among kids in our community during the past three years. 

Prairie Ridge offers many services for adolescents and their families. Prairie Ridge has named this service after the great Sequoia tree to communicate the importance of interdependent living. 

Sequoias are one of the the largest and oldest trees in the world. They exist today in limited numbers in the Sierra Nevada range in central California. They are very resilient trees, withstanding the forces of nature, including fire. Seldom will you see a Sequoia standing alone, because high winds would quickly uproot it. Their intertwining roots provide support for one another against the storms. 

At-risk youth need the community to sink their roots into, to help financially support their treatment program, as well as one-on-one support. Substance abuse treatment for adolescents is often a slow process that calls for ongoing dedication and commitment from individuals who understand. 

This community approach to dealing with "chemically dependent" young people begins with a very simple premise: that drug and alcohol abuse is a problem in our total society, not just in our schools; and that our schools should not be expected to deal with the problem alone. Within the framework of the community approach, the entire community joins together to combat the problem of chemical dependency. 

What Is ALERT?

ALERT is a nontraditional case planning approach to addressing the adolescent substance abuse concerns for the youth of North Central Iowa. It is a multidimensional, collaborative effort focused on meeting the broad-based needs of the adolescent client who presents with a substance abuse problem. 

Referral to the ALERT program is appropriate for those youth who are involved in multi-level systems of care, to include Juvenile Court Services, the Department of Human Services, Family Centered Services, school-based services and substance abuse intervention/treatment services. A person who refers an adolescent client and his/her family to the ALERT Program is essentially committing to be a part of the Early Response Team for that particular client.