By Jennifer Jimenez
Mail | X: @SCW_Independent

Banner Health has launched a new adolescent substance abuse and mental health program, which will operate out of Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center in Sun City West.

According to a press release from Banner Health program is funded by a contract with Maricopa County Department of Public Health, which is a steward of funds from the Opioid Settlement Funds. 

The program helps teens ages 13 to 17 through in an intensive outpatient program setting with three-hour group-based therapy session, three times per week, for nine hours each week. 

“This is a specialized intensive outpatient program meeting three hours in group three times a week versus having to find a therapist and address the patient. This is hands on and has shown to be very clinically effective amongst adolescents,” Dr. Jerimya Fox, Banner Health said.

Fox said the plan is to get the word out since often times parents are unaware these services exist at the outpatient level. The more exposure this program can get and allow parents to realize the support that exists, then they can address the issues.

“This issue can be addressed as a family issue and support the recovery in a holistic setting to give the skills to carry them throughout the rest of our lives,” Fox explained.

Jennifer Keiser said there is need in the west valley as there are not many programs for teens and since Del E. Webb Medical Center is the nearest hospital to the Surprise area, this location was identified as the need and increase in substance abuse rises.

“We do have several programs across the valley, but this is specific to serving teens at an outpatient level,” Keiser said.

Prior to this program Fox said teens were coming to the emergency department in the west valley to be assessed and if out patient was needed, those patients were referred out for services at Scottsdale Behavioral Health or another provider, Fox explained.

Keiser said both mental and health and substance abuse are treated through this program, which is needed so teens do not have to travel across the valley to get treatment.

No referral is required for the mental health and substance abuse program. To sign up for or learn more about the program, please call 602.254.4357 or click here. 

A portion of the settlement funds is also going to the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center, whose medical experts answer calls for the Opioid Assistance and Referral (OAR) Line, the first such resource in the nation. The OAR Line helps those on the front lines of combating the opioid epidemic by expanding training and education to providers, first responders, and the community on substance abuse disorders, overdose prevention, and naloxone administration. Call the OAR Line at 1-888-688-4222.

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Jennifer Jimenez can be reached at jjimenez@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @scw_independent. 

Jennifer Jimenez
Reporter | Sun City West

jjimenez@iniusa.org

I am passionate about sports and community writing and shining the light on positivity, while delivering the facts. I have been with the Independent team for five months, but in the game for 15 years. I am a proud Grand Canyon University alumni. Born and raised in Peoria, I also am blessed to have a street named after me called Jennifer Rose Court.