By Benjamin Chambers, December 01 2009
Treat Teens in the Justice System Online
What if you could get teens in the juvenile justice sytem to go online for substance abuse treatment?
Think about the kids who have to travel a long way to treatment ... who don't have bus service or someone to give them a ride ... or kids who resist the idea of meeting someone in an office.
The idea has potential, doesn't it?
Ideas to Get You Started
To help treatment providers and others learn about what's possible, Reclaiming Futures is hosting a free, one-hour webinar on December 17th, 11am PST/ 2pm EST. Dick Dillon of Preferred Family Healthcare in Missouri, and a pioneer in using virtual worlds in treatment, will present.
Mr. Dillon will provide participants with an overview of the work that Preferred Family Healthcare is doing in Second Life, including a pilot project that provides treatment services to rural youth after they leave residential treatment.
The presentation will:
- share research supporting the use of virtual worlds;
- offer suggestions for how providers can get started; and
- address confidentiality concerns and related issues.
About the Presenter
Dick Dillon's philosophy is, "Make the seemingly impossible, possible, by blending unbridled passion for the success of others with concrete research and solid clinical practice." In his capacity as Senior Vice President of Planning and Development at Preferred Family Healthcare, he has the opportunity to work towards these goals every day, constantly looking for ways to serve more people in need.
How to Register
Space is limited, and we find that treatment-oriented webinars fill up quickly, so don't delay. Registration is required.
Background
A 2008 publication from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based on the work of Mr. Dillon and Preferred Healthcare, among others, discusses the pros and cons of using online virtual worlds for substance abuse treatment.
Image: Bettina Tizzy, under Creative Commons license.
Updated: February 08 2018