Self Care: A Guide for Addiction Professionals

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Self Care A Guide for Addiction Professionals

• Aaron M. Williams, MA
• Central East ATTC/The Danya Institute, Inc.

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Project Overview

• Working in any profession can cause challenges
  to maintaining ones health and well-being.
  Numerous articles and books have been created to
  address workplace stress over the years.
• However, few if any publications have been
  produced that deal with the behavioral health
  profession, specifically the addiction treatment
  workforce, and some of the unique concerns that
  may exist in this environment.

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Project Overview Cont.

• Development of manual for addictions
  professionals which provides information on how
  professionals can better maintain their health
  and well-being.
• Manual will provide information on such topics
  as mental heath, spirituality, nutrition,
  recovery management and overall physical health.
• Document will also provide information on how to
  address these issues from an agency perspective
  as well as an individual perspective.

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Project Timeline

• Sept.06
• Selected Danya Institute staff to help with
  project internally.
• Developed detailed budget for activities
  associated with development of this manual.
• Selected 10 member advisory panel to gather ideas
  about content for manual. Panel is made up of
  administrators, current treatment staff, and
  other experts in the field.

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Project Timeline Cont.

• Oct. 6, 2006
• Advisory panel met face to-face to discuss
  content for the self care manual.
• Minutes and outline are prepared for review buy
  Danya staff and panel.
• Nov. 2006
• Conference Call was held with writer and panel to
  gather more detailed information on certain
  content areas for the document.

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Project Timeline Cont.

• Dec.06
• Second draft of document completed and sent out
  to panel for feedback.
• Jan.06
• Panel provides feedback and final draft currently
  being edited.
• Feb.06
• Self-Care manual tentatively scheduled for
  release to the public.

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Question

• How did this project address Aarons Leadership
  Development plan ?

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Answer

• The ILDP administered at the beginning of this
  course suggested three areas for development
• Human resource management
• Financial management
• Vision

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Answer Cont.

• Human resource management
• Management of the advisory panel provided
  numerous opportunities to manage personnel in
  both group and individual settings.

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Answer Cont.

• Financial management
• Project required detailed budget to be approved
  by Executive Director before work could begin.

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Answer Cont.

• Vision
• In order to complete project, a clear detailed
  vision of what the finished product would contain
  and look like had to be articulated to all
  parties involved.

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Lessons Learned
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Lessons Learned

• Although all panel members participated in
  project, more formal guidelines stating minimum
  level of effort required for participation may
  have been beneficial.
• More detailed list of staff involvement at start
  of the project may have aided in a more effective
  use of support staff.

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Lessons Learned

• More formal outline during meetings,
  (particularly conference calls) could result in
  more focused and task oriented meetings.

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Personal Thoughts
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Things not going as planned is the rule not the
exception. Be flexible
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Thank You