Intermountain Health Starts New Effort to Fight Youth Addiction with Dedicated Clinic

Starting in June, the Intermountain Health Integrated Addiction Medicine Clinic will offer an intense outpatient program for teens. This will help meet a need in the community that hasn’t been met before.

“We’re really excited to offer this program. “There is a huge need for this, and it’s the first of its kind on the Western Slope,” says Jessica Stephen Premo, who is in charge of mental health at the center.

The new intense outpatient program is for teens and young adults who are having problems with both drug abuse and “process addictions,” which are things like shopping, gambling, video games, and more. Stephen Premo tells WesternSlopeNow that more than 90% of drug use disorders and addiction start in teens.

“Since our clinic opened six years ago, we’ve had intensive outpatient programs for adults. All of our adults say, ‘I wish I had something like this when I was a teenager.'” I wish I had asked for help sooner.

The event will happen from 4 to 6 p.m. after school. Stephen Premo says that the style of the treatment gives everyone more freedom.

“That teen can still be a part of their life.” That way, they can still go to school or keep working if they have a job.

Family therapy and group therapy with other families are also part of the training.

“It’s hard to know how to help someone who is having a hard time with depression or drug abuse.” which is why the family part gives that schooling. It also helps the parents or people taking care of them by letting them connect with other parents going through the same thing.

Stephen Premo says this is an important part of healing.

“When we’re dealing with drug use, a big part of healing is giving kids and their families something they have in common.” It’s like they’re no longer alone, and they feel like they have more tools to heal and live the lives they want.

The program is now taking referrals from people ages 14 to 18, but in the fall, it will also accept referrals from people ages 12 to 18.

Ring the program at 970-298-3805 to send someone there.

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