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New Jersey drug rehab counselors have seen a lot of substance abuse trends come and go over the years, but the disease of addiction remains the same in many ways.
Addiction is characterized by a compulsive need to keep abusing drugs or alcohol, even though you’re aware of their harmful effects. Even the most promising residents of the Garden State — its high school and college students — have been victims of drug addiction and alcoholism. No matter who you are or what socioeconomic group you come from, substance abuse can destroy your future.
Addiction Treatment for New Jersey’s Youth
New Jersey is home to some of the finest educational institutions in the United States. With the exception of New York State, New Jersey spends more money on each student in the public school system than any other state in the country. When it comes to higher education, few states can compete with New Jersey, which boasts world-class universities like Princeton and Rutgers. Yet even the best schools can’t necessarily protect your kids against the dangers of addiction.
Statistics from
Rutgers University show that in 2005, 46.5 percent of New Jersey high school students who responded to a survey by the NJ Department of Education had used alcohol within the past 30 days. In this same survey, 27 percent reported binge drinking in the past month, and 19.9 percent reported using marijuana.
As the parent, friend or sibling of a young person with a substance abuse problem, you may wonder whether there’s anything you can do to intervene without losing the trust of your loved one. New Jersey drug rehab experts will tell you that the best thing you can do for a young person who’s struggling with addiction is to get them into a structured, supervised addiction treatment program.
During the college years, many students experiment with drugs and alcohol, pushing the limits of their new freedom. A survey of New Jersey college students conducted by Drugfree New Jersey indicated that:
- Marijuana abuse and binge drinking were the most common forms of substance abuse among the students surveyed.
- College students tend to abuse drugs and alcohol less frequently when they’re at home for the summer.
- About 18 percent of student respondents reported that they had used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons.
- Approximately 10 percent of the college students had used over-the-counter diet pills and cough medicines to get high.
*Substance Abuse Trends in NJ College Students
Private vs. Nonprofit Rehab Centers
As you compare the addiction treatment programs in New Jersey, you’ll notice that some programs are sponsored by private, for-profit organizations, while others are supported by non-profit agencies. The Division of Addiction Services, a branch of the New Jersey Department of Human Services, sponsors a range of nonprofit treatment programs for adolescents and their families. Programs include outpatient counseling, detox services, intensive inpatient rehab, low-intensity residential treatment, dual diagnosis care and transitional sober housing.
What are the differences between for-profit and nonprofit rehabs, and what does this mean to you? According to information presented by the Drug and Alcohol Services Information System, some of these differences include:
- Nonprofit rehabs are more likely to have a sliding-scale option than for-profit addiction treatment centers.
- Private facilities are more likely to accept cash payment, self-payment or private health insurance.
- Private facilities are more likely to offer an outpatient treatment option along with inpatient treatment.
- Nonprofit rehabs are more likely to be part of a hospital system, while private rehabs are more likely to be located in stand-alone facilities.
