Drug & Alcohol Counselor Certification

THE CHRISTIAN RECOVERY PROFESSIONALS' MONTHLY

March 4, 2006

THE CHRISTIAN RECOVERY PROFESSIONALS MONTHLY
Shedding light on what empirical research, experience, and
faith is most effective recovery treatment

For information on our certification and degree programs in
Christian Drug, Alcohol & Addictions Counseling: Tel.
909-307-0183

National Institute on Drug Abuse Report Shows Biblical
Model has Significantly Higher Rate of Recovery than
Secular Models

Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, funded the
first year of this study to evaluate the long term results
of the Teen Challenge program.

This study focused on all students in the class of 1968
that entered Brooklyn, NY, Teen Challenge, and then
transferred to Rehersburg, PA, for the second half of their
training. This follow-up study seven years later (1975)
sought to determine six variables: what proportion of the
program participants were still drug free, no legal
involvements, employed or pursuing education, a part of a
family unit, participating in church activities and
physical and mental health.

The survey was conducted under the leadership of Dr.
Catherine Hess, M.D., the former assistant chief of the
Cancer Control Program of the U.S. Public Health Service,
who had previously served as the Medical Director for the
New York Hospital Methadone Clinic. The main premise of the
study was to demonstrate that introduction of a religious
component into the treatment of drug addicts is the one
aspect which produces the large success rate.
The National Opinion Research Center of the University of
Chicago developed the survey instrument, located survey
participants, conducted the personal interviews, and
obtained a urine sample to test for drugs. The National
Medical Services, Inc., of Philadelphia, PA, conducted the
drug screening detection for this population.

Research results were categorized into three groups.

P1 were students that entered Brooklyn Teen Challenge, but
dropped out and never attended the Rehrersburg program. P2
were students that completed the Brooklyn program who later
dropped out of the Rehrersburg program. P3 were graduates
of the Rehrersburg P rogram.

A total of 186 persons were interviewed for this project,
P1=70, P2=52, and P3=64. The P3 group of 64 represented 97%
of the total population possible. The results of this
survey clearly indicated the success of the Teen Challenge
program in the following areas: The Teen Challenge
definition of “drug-free” means abstaining from all use of
narcotics, marijuana, alcohol, and cigarettes. 67% of the
graduates (P3) are drug-free as indicated by the urinalysis
test. (86% stated they were drug-free on the
questionnaire.)

72% of the graduates (P3) continued their education upon
completion of Teen Challenge. The areas include getting
their G.E.D., or pursuing college level education.

75% of the graduates (P3) indicated their current status as
employed. 73% of the graduates are self-supporting by
earning their own salary.

Of those who are currently employed, 58% have been at their
present job for over one year.

87.5% of the graduates did not require additional treatment
in drug treatment programs after leaving Teen Challenge.
Over 90% considered themselves addicted to drugs before
entering Teen Challenge.

67% of the graduates are regularly attending church.

57% of the graduates are involved in church work.

92% of the graduates (P3) report good-excellent health,
whereas the numbers are significantly lower for the other
two groups, P1=59% and P2=75%.

For a more detailed report on these and other research
projects on Teen Challenge, contact:
Dave Batty
Teen Challenge, Inc.
444 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 789-1414
E-mail: tcbklyn@ix.netcom.com

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One Student’s Transformation
by Renee Shaffer

Before I met Jesus my life was a chaotic, miserable, empty,
crime spree hell. I started using heroin at age eighteen
and fell in love. It took away my pain and made everything
seem alright. It made me feel ten feet tall and
bulletproof. I’ve been to prison and been involved with
Child Protective Services three times. At one time in my
life I thought I was destined to die a junkie and I was
okay with that. When you kick it with the best of the worst
you learn to survive by doing crimes that go hand in
hand with the drug world. Soon I developed a “who ca-
res” attitude and nothing mattered but my next fix. I
realized I needed something to change in my life when my
daughter was born a methadone baby. I always tried to
stop using. I’ve been on maintenance three times, went to
rehabs, fixed on men, moved to get away from heroin but
this only made me do more dope. After awhile the dope
didn’t work anymore. I was even more miserable and tired of
running.

I believe God puts people in your Life for a reason. He has
blessed me with Natasha and Shaun. They used to come over
to my house and try to get me to go to church. I would
hide, I didn’t want to go to church. NO WAY! They are the
people who told me about Set Free.
I’m grateful to them because they are wonderful to me and
my kids, (my son Corn is 18 and my daughter Nicole who is
10) who are in my Life today. I Live with them and
their kids and it’s nice to live
with people who are doers of
God’s word. I am truly grateful and blessed to be In their
home. So I made a commitment to the ranch, as hard as
it was at times I didn’t punk out. God is teaching me a lot
and I’m learning to love others and forgive them even
when I’m feeling disrespected, mad or hurt. It’s not about
being weak it’s all about getting out of yourself and
letting God in. I don’t have to be defensive instead I can
feel at peace. It’s a freedom within me that comes when I
give it all to God. It’s a good feeling to know that I
don’t have to fight or cuss people out today.

Accepting Christ into my life has changed me. It’s a trip.
I have more joy today being clean and sober and doing God’s
will then I ever had found in the dope. I thank the Lord
everyday for removing the stronghold of heroin from me. I
don’t have to run to the needle or from my problems or even
from myself anymore. I thank God for removing the
stronghold of vanity from me so I was able to write this.
God has opened my eyes to see this. God is
wonderful. All I want today is more God! To do his will. He
has wonderful plans for my life. Now I work for the Asso-
ciation of Christian Alcohol and Drug Counselors Institute
and I am working towards a Bachelor’s degree. I thank
God for putting people in my life who teach me His word. I
fellowship with Christian people on a daily basis who are
doers of the Word. God is wonderful, he is even more than
that. Words can’t explain how awesome he is.
Thank you Lord for doing what all my other attempts for
recovery and rehabilitation never could have done in my
life!