SAN ANTONIO – A local youth substance abuse program is treating children as young as 11, and while that age might seem young, the counselors say that’s what’s needed.
Leaders from the program said substances these days are much more concentrated and more addictive than they used to be, and intervening as young as possible is crucial for youth brain development.
“We see marijuana as number one, alcohol number two, nicotine, and we also are seeing hallucinogens, and then opioids. Opioids are on the increase,” said Roxanna Ramirez, the lead therapist for Be Well Texas’ youth substance abuse program.
Be Well Texas is a statewide substance use services program run by UT Health San Antonio.
“We can probably count on one hand how many programs there are like this in the country,” Ramirez said.
The program treats youth from ages 11 to 27.
“Research is saying that kids are being exposed to drugs as young as 7 years old,” Ramirez said. “I’m a parent. I have a boy who is 10 years old and getting ready to go into junior high next year. And so I talk to him every day about drugs.”
Ramirez wants struggling families to know that there is help.
“We provide comprehensive substance use evaluations. We provide med management,” she said. “We do parental guidance. We do family therapy and individual therapy.”
Ramirez said medication management is important when it comes to recovery.
“Sometimes the providers will prescribe medications for the substance used to control cravings and urges for using,” Ramirez said. “And then we also look at the mental health issues and prescribe medicines for that.”
The services include the entire family.
“It’s a systemic problem. It affects everybody in the family, and I don’t think a lot of people recognize that,” Ramirez said. “We support the family, teach them how to set limits, how to set boundaries within the family, and how they can be there to support their youth during the crisis.”
Now, that’s not just available to local families. Thanks to telehealth, Be Well Texas just expanded its reach across Texas.
“There’s a lot of studies that say that people who have substance use disorders don’t have access to services,” Ramirez said. “So by providing telehealth, we wanna be there for everybody who can reach us.”
That expanded help will especially be crucial for families in rural communities.
Parents wanting to register their child, or young adults wanting to register themselves, can visit the Be Well Texas website or call 888-85-BeWell to schedule an appointment.
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