Cameron Interview
Stages of Change Model
The Stages of Change model was created by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) to create a framework for evaluating where a client is in their recovery process. The formal definition differs1 slightly from what Cameron illustrated below:
- Pre-Contemplation
- Contemplation: Give a lot of information to make an informed decision most of cameron people were in this stage
- Preparation: acknowledge a problem, taking steps
- Action: Doing treatment work consistently
- Maintenance: Gotten through early recovery, which is first 3 months, going to need a system
The 5 levels of Recovery
Recovery starts with an assessment which determines level of care, there are 5 levels of care, and Cameron assessed clients and worked with mandated clients who were generally in the first two stages of change. In terms of types of addictions, Cameron worked with people across the board, from court ordered DUI to meth addiction, to opiates.
Outpatient. Receive less than 8 hours of treatment care a week
Intensive Out Patient IOP. More than 9 hours 3 times a week for 3 hours
Residential Care. Need structured support to be successful
Hospitalization. Continuous Monitoring
Hospitalization, more intensive
Cameron’s Take on a Monitoring Device
Cameron’s experience leads him to believe that providing a device to addicts would not be beneficial. Addicts are not in a state to make good decisions and only through compassion and hope can they choose to make the efforts needed for a recover. Clients who were given Narcan tried to sell that for drugs, and a device would most likely have the same fate.
Cameron’s Take on Metrics
Cameron states that there is and should be no connection between outcomes and center performance. The variability between clients is too great, and the methods of practice and care should be the evaluating factors.
A Success Story
Cameron had one client who had previously been through 14 treatment episodes. He was the first counselor who gave this particular client personalized care and sited how compassion is the greatest lever in helping clients to a successful conclusion. This client had abuse growing up, and through providing mental health support and bringing in the family for buy-in and additional support, Cameron moved the client from a mind-state of helplessness to a position of positivity. After two months, the client had stable housing which Cameron assisted in, as well as regular mental health support. After 8 months, the client walked back in to than Cameron and visibly looked like a brand new person.
Stages of Change formal definition.↩︎