As it has for 35 years, AAMA continues to combat drug abuse, gangs and juvenile crime. AAMA has developed a variety of successful residential and out-patient treatment and prevention programs in Houston, San Antonio and South Texas. AAMA is one of the largest providers of prevention and treatment programs in Hispanic communities, particularly along the Texas/Mexico border.
Highlights for 2004-2005 include:
- Assisted clients in gaining access to substance abuse residential treatment programs by linking Casa Phoenix and Zaffirini to programs in Bexar County and the Drug Court program.
- Achieved abstinence rates of 95 percent for boys who completed Casa Phoenix’s supportive residential program, 90 percent for girls who completed Selena Center’s supportive residential program and 85 percent for girls who completed Selena Center’s intensive residential program.
- Developed an incentive program to increase employment performance among pharmacotherapy clients in Laredo and Edinburg, resulting in an employment rate of 72.5 percent – nearly 10 percent higher than the state’s required rate of 63 percent.
- Presented AAMA’s Proyecto Ganadores program at a Washington, D.C. meeting of federally-funded youth program representatives at the invitation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
- Received two new grants totaling $754,320 annually from SAMHSA for programs in Laredo and Houston.
- Increased credentialed and licensed staff across all programs by 75 percent, with a current ratio of four licensed counselors to one intern.
- Achieved 100 percent follow-up on all patients, resulting in no state discharges of clients, against a state discharge rate of 10.1 percent.
Houston Programs for youth and adults include:
AAMA House – a supportive housing program providing shelter and case management to youth, age 13-17. The program also provides instruction in life skills, relapse prevention, HIV prevention and job skills as well as employment placement, family counseling and assistance in the transition to permanent housing.
Barrios Unidos – this program provides intensive intervention services to youth in the barrios of Houston and San Antonio who are at risk for gang involvement, drug use, dropping out of school and family difficulties. Highly structured activities introduce the youth to positive associations that increase self-esteem.
Casa Phoenix – a residential substance abuse treatment program for boys age 13-17. The program includes an outpatient counseling component that also serves as an aftercare program for those who complete the residential treatment program.
DiNosaur Program/El Program DiNo (Say No!) – a community-based prevention service for children. The program incorporates puppet shows that tell the story of a dinosaur and his friends who are faced with the pressures and apparent glamour of drug use, and helps children learn to make positive choices at an early age.
Minorities Action Program – an outreach program that provides information and referrals for people who are extremely vulnerable to the spread of communicable diseases and who may be unable to access community services due to language barriers.
Project Tejas – provides outpatient counseling services to men and women in Spanish and English.
San Antonio
AAMA’s Health and Human Services programs in San Antonio are offered through the Selena Center. The center provides residential substance abuse treatment for girls age 13-17 and outpatient treatment and counseling to girls who complete a residential treatment period.
South Texas
AAMA also provides prevention programs for youth and substance abuse treatment and outpatient service for adults in South Texas, including:
Ninos Primero Prevention Services – this Rio Grande Valley program seeks to prevent substance abuse problems in the lives of at-risk children between the ages of 5 and 12 years old.
Proyecto Ganadores – a program serving youth ages 13-24 in the Rio Grande Valley who are at risk for using “club drugs” such as Ecstasy, methamphetamines and rophypnol – the date rape drug. The first such program in the Rio Grand Valley, Proyecto Ganadores has pioneered innovative strategies such as using movie theater advertising and internet chat rooms for outreach prevention efforts.
Zaffirini – a 35-bed adult residential treatment facility in Edinburg, which serves both male and female patients in Hidalgo, Cameron, Webb and Willacy counties. The program includes outpatient and aftercare components as well as a specialized treatment program for pregnant and/or parenting women.
NEL/CHL – the Narcotic Education League and Concilio Hispano Libre programs serve individuals in South Texas who have a long history of addiction to opiates and other drugs. Through treatment that integrates counseling and life skills training, patients are able to eliminate their dependence on drugs, work and function normally in the community.
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Summary of Clients Served by AAMA’s Health and Human Services Programs
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Houston Programs
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Number Served
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Youth
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AAMA House
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Residential
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66
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Barrios Unidos
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Prevention
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251
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Casa Phoenix
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Residential
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116
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Outpatient
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165
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Adults
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M.A.P.
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Prevention
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6,800
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Project Tejas
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Outpatient
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213
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San Antonio Programs
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Youth
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Selena Center
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Residential
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128
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Outpatient
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245
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Edinburg Programs
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Youth
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Ninos
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Prevention
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4,274
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Ganadores
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Prevention
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2,158
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Adults
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Zaffirini
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Residential
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107
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Outpatient
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157
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Laredo Programs
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Adults
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CHL/NHL
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Outpatient
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518
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TOTAL
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19,289
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