MHA offers the Encompass Program in our clinics, including school-based sites. The program is a unique evidence-based, integrated treatment for adolescents and young adults with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health problems. Treatment consists of 12-16 weekly individual sessions, but may also include 1-2 family sessions. Encompass uses cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement approaches to facilitate acquisition of new skills and coping strategies to reduce harmful substance use and improve mental health. Motivational incentives are used to reinforce abstinence and increase engagement in non-drug prosocial activities to promote a healthy, sustainable drug-free lifestyle. The clinical team provides comprehensive psychiatric and diagnostic evaluation, treatment of co-occurring conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, attention-deficit disorder, trauma, anger, loss, and other mental health challenges along with medication services (psychopharmacology and MAT therapies). 

Encompass is offered in select community and school-based settings, with clinical consultation provided by Encompass developer Dr. Paula Riggs and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine. This is made possible thanks to the award of a Promising Practices grant by WMCHealth to Family Services of Westchester in collaboration with the harris project. Additional support is provided by the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health.

To learn more, please contact Rosemarie Spencer, Senior Director of Substance Use Disorder Services at spencerr@mhawestchester.org or 914-610-5505.