Treatment at Daytop New Jersey is behaviorally based and individualized to meet the needs of this vulnerable adolescent population. It is based on the premise of self-help in an atmosphere of positive peer interaction within the context of a family structure. Twelve Step Program concepts are incorporated, with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting held on site. Honesty, trust and responsibility are strongly emphasized. At the same time, conflict resolution, anger management, and other emotional concerns are addressed. Family participation in the treatment process is essential and integral to the recovery of the adolescent.
History
The need for Daytop became urgent with the gang wars of the 1950s. The young men in those gangs were disenfranchised from the rest of society, they were violent, hopeless, and most of them used drugs. Neither jail nor hospital stays seemed to make a bit of difference to an addict. Father William O'Brien and Dr. Daniel Casriel, a psychiatrist, together searched for methods that would get through to these young people. They combined a structured family environment with traditional therapy methods and peer groups, drawing on the strong need these addicts had for belonging and approval. They drew family members into this therapeutic mix to reunite and heal, and added educational and vocational segments to prepare clients for a future with hope.
Msgr. William O'Brien Founder and President DAYTOP
This became the basic structure of the therapeutic community model of substance abuse treatment. Today this same model has been tailored to suit cultures around the world.
Daytop opened its doors on September 1st, 1963 with 22 male probationers. The steadiest change over the years has been in the profile of our clients. The numbers of adolescents using drugs keeps going up, and their ages keep going down. Parents are recognizing that early treatment can save much pain and trouble later, and so these adolescents are getting help sooner. Many employers recognize that trouble on the job may be a sign of substance abuse, and refer employees to programs for help. And so Daytop has kept the tools that proved successful so many years ago and adapted them to today's changing population. And Father, now Monsignor, O'Brien, still passionately presides over this miracle of amazing change and growth flourishing at our treatment centers.
For more information about the history of Daytop, visit our national web site at www.daytop.org.
Daytop has been serving New Jersey since 1992. The NJ program was designed specifically for adolescents. The first center in Mendham is residential, on a 28-acre campus, and capable of housing 70 young men and women. In 1996 Daytop NJ opened its first outpatient adolescent treatment program in Parsippany. Today there are three outreach centers and a separate screening located in Hunterdon, Morris, and Sussex Counties.
In 1997 the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) awarded Daytop NJ accreditation with commendation.
In the Spring of 2001, Daytop NJ received a provisional license from the New Jersey Department of Education, to operate a private school for students with educational disabilities. This has made Daytop Preparatory School the first (and only) licensed approved private school for students with educational disabilities in New Jersey that is also committed to a long term substance abuse treatment program. We have launched the School Campaign to raise money to make this a permanent feature at Daytop Mendham.
