Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program staff welcomed area Navy Drug and Alcohol Program advisors, as well as those from other branches, to their sixth annual open house March 16.
The open house enabled advisors to learn about program updates, visit the location where patients receive treatment, and to ask questions that may be of concern. With very few changes to the program over the past year, the SARP team focused on educating the advisors on what patients go through during treatment and how they can assist patients after they’ve received treatment.
For SARP counselor Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) Narina Gray, one of the most important things she wanted the DAPAs to know was the SARP team is their support system.
“We are here if they have questions or concerns, or if they are getting push back from their command,” Gray said. “We are here to help them support and enforce policy, find resources or if they need help with an instruction.”
Gray also thought the open house was a great opportunity for the advisors to meet the SARP team face-to-face and to introduce themselves to new or incoming command advisors.
“We want to build bridges with these DAPAs,” Gray said. “Just as the DAPA is the patient support system, we want the DAPAs to know we are there.”
SARP’s mission is to provide the tools to help service members achieve and maintain a substance abuse-free life. Treatment interrupts the current cycle of substance abuse, then motivates and supports a change in attitudes or behavior.
A guest speaker, who has gone through treatment and requested anonymity, was also brought in to share his personal story with the advisors. He talked about the importance of the advisors’ job and the impact DAPAs can make on a Sailor going through treatment. He urged DAPAs to not let instances go undocumented because it allows the Sailor to fail.
“You play a very important role in the matter of relapse,” he said. “It is life or death.”
SARP Portsmouth provides screenings, preventive and rehabilitative services for substance abuse or dependence. The Portsmouth location provides care for the Tidewater enhanced Multi-Service Market. The enhanced Multi-Service Market enables military services to combine their resources to deliver high-quality and cost-effective health care in six geographic “market” areas with significant military presence.
| Date Taken: | 03.16.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.25.2017 10:44 |
| Story ID: | 230229 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTHG, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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