Motivational Youth Recovery (MYR) Community Healthlink, Inc.

MYR is a detoxification and stabilization unit in Worcester, MA licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and operated by Community HealthLink (CHL), a clinical affiliate of the UMass Chan Medical School (UMass Chan). MYR serves adolescent boys and girls, 13 to 17 years of age with a substance-related disorder. Some 18 year olds also sometimes qualify with prior approval. The program accepts adolescents who may be experiencing withdrawal symptoms that require medical monitoring. An adolescent who experiences difficulties with family, school, work and/or the courts as a result of his/her substance use is also appropriate, as is an adolescent who has tried to stop using substances but is unable to do so independently.

The MYR unit also treats adolescents who may be experiencing mental health problems such as depression, anxiety or other symptoms in addition to a primary concern of drug or alcohol use. The MYR program has capacity for 23 adolescents with an average stay of 14 days. There is no maximum stay. This is one of only two existing detoxification and stabilization programs in Massachusetts, and utilizes motivational techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, relapse prevention, group and individual therapy modalities. The most common co-occurring disorders are depression, ADHD and anxiety disorders including PTSD.

MYR is the site for the Factors in Adolescent Development of Substance Use Disorders (FADS) Study. The principle investigator is Lisa Fortuna, MD, child psychiatrist on the MYR unit and a clinical researcher with the UMass Chan Medical School. CHL and UMass Chan have a significant history of research and clinical collaboration.