Keeping Youth in the Program: Identifying Predictors of Running and Implementing Interventions by Sharon E. Clark, PhD, Adolescent Centre for Treatment, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and Nancy Preston-Royer, MS Ed, LPC, Morrison Center Child and Family Services, Portland, OR

This presentation will present two studies that identified client risk indicators and implemented interventions to address those risks. Dr. Clark from the Adolescent Centre for Treatment in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada will be discussing the challenges that adolescents living in co-ed residential treatment face as they work to reach treatment goals and successfully graduate. Dr. Clark posits that two risky behaviors--running away and involvement in romantic relationships with co-residents--often lead to early discharge. Ms. Nancy Preston-Royer of Morrison Child and Family Services of Portland, Oregon, will be presenting evaluation data from an adolescent alcohol and drug proctor program. She will be outlining how her program identified client risks factors for running away from the program and successfully implemented interventions to retain them.