PALM
PALM (Program for Adolescent Life Management) is a residential program for young people aged 14 to 18 with serious alcohol, or other drug-related difficulties. The three-month program (with up to 12 months continuing care) aims to help young people to build the skills to manage their own lives effectively.
The rationale behind PALM is that it is not enough to simply aim to reduce or eliminate drug use. Drug use is tied to other aspects of people’s lives – so sorting out the drug use itself is ineffective if the other areas that contribute to problematic drug use are not dealt with. A holistic perspective is necessary to make sure any change in a person’s drug use is positive and sustainable. As a result, each program addresses issues such as employment, training, relationship building, mood management, personal growth and development, and teaches relapse prevention skills.
PALM provides a safe, homely environment within which young people are supported through this difficult journey. The program addresses the needs of young people at all levels including personal, social, vocational or educational, living skills and sport and recreation.
Mural painted by PALM with the help of Westpac staff.PALM is based on leading research conducted in partnership with the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC). Each young person has an individual plan tailored to his or her particular needs based on a thorough assessment. Young people are offered extensive group work, individual counseling, family therapy and vocational/educational help.
After completing the Ted Noffs Foundation PALM program, young people have shown significantly reduced criminal activity; reduced harmful drug use; increased involvement in training and employment; increased stability in their accommodation and better family relations.
“Recent findings from a three-month post-treatment study of the effectiveness of PALM showed:
- Significant reductions in frequency of Cannabis use (a decrease from 22 days per month to 9), Alcohol use (a decrease from 10 days per month to 5), Amphetamine-Type Stimulant use (a decrease from 10 days per month to 2), and Opioid use (a decrease from 10 days per month to 2).
- Significant reductions in Severity of Dependence and in the percentage of young people reporting Injecting Drug Use (from 34% to 20%).
- A significant decrease in the average number of Arrests in the previous three months (from 2 to 1) and significant reductions in the percentage of young people reporting involvement in property crime (from 41% to 18%) and crime against persons (from 32% to 14%).
- Significant improvements in Mental Health, including those measured using the Brief Symptom Inventory (depression, anxiety, hostility, and psychoticism) and the Psychological Well-Being Scale (such as suicidal ideation – from 52% of residents pre-treatment to 18% post-treatment)
- A significant improvement in Family Functioning, as measured by the Family Assessment Device.
These findings indicate that PALM involvement results in positive outcomes across a number of domains for young people with substance use and related difficulties.”
Who is eligible?
Any young person who is aged between 14-18 years at the time of
referral and whose life is seriously affected by drug and/or alcohol
use is eligible.
Referrals
Telephone enquiries and referrals can be received Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm.
PALM Sydney, currently located in Randwick, tel: 02 9310 0133
PALM Coffs Harbour, tel: 02 6651 7177
PALM Watson, ACT, tel: 02 6123 2400
PALM Dubbo, tel: 02 6887 3332