About ARMS
The Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS) specializes in supporting teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 25, and their families, as they deal with their substance-related problems. It has been found that adolescents who enter treatment are more likely to achieve long-term sobriety than those who enter as adults, and the earlier they enter, the more effective the treatment will be. Our highly-skilled, multidisciplinary team of clinicians, clinical psychiatrists and masters-level social workers is trained to work with youth and families and provide an individualized, all-encompassing plan for recovery.
Adolescents who enter treatment are more likely to achieve long-term sobriety than those who enter as adults.
As part of the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, with links to the medical, clinical and addiction research resources within the MGH Center for Addiction Medicine, we offer a unique level of expertise. We are able to evaluate all aspects of our patients’ history and current symptoms in order to devise the treatment plan that is the most likely to succeed. This includes diagnosing any related behavioral or psychiatric conditions that may be contributing to the problem and helping our patients establish goals related to their overall health and well-being and their transition to adulthood.
Key Elements of Good Treatment
ARMS is available to answer questions or offer one-time consultations for those young people or families who are not yet ready to undergo treatment. We provide evidence-based coaching to families of young people with substance-related problems who are not yet willing to seek treatment themselves. Those who do enroll in ARMS receive assistance in all aspects of their medical stabilization and the ongoing care they and their families need.
At ARMS, our services include assistance in the following areas:
- Identifying and acknowledging that a substance-related problem exists
- Assessing the exact dimensions of the problem
- Determining necessary treatment, such as detox, inpatient care, outpatient care, long-term assistance, counseling or treatment for related behavioral or psychiatric conditions
- Connecting patients and families with the services they need, by providing a referral, navigating costs and insurance forms and arranging admissions
- Monitoring the patient and family’s progress through their addiction treatment
- Assisting with relapse when it occurs
- Following up with additional assistance at any time
Treatment does work when addiction is approached like any other chronic disease, such as diabetes, which requires time, flexibility, and a commitment to overcome the relapses that are likely to be a part of any behavioral modification. By targeting harm reduction approaches and avoiding guilt and shame often associated with addiction, ARMS has had success helping our patients to achieve happy, independent lives without substances.
