The Future. - Argosy University

The event was an example of the “community of recovery” structure that the center promotes, providing a holistic team approach totherapy in a non-restrictive treatment environment. Family participation is a key component of the program, given that almost two-thirdsof youth with abuse issues have a family history of addiction. The goal of the Bobby Benson Center is to return teens to their schools andcommunities with the skills to remain drug and alcohol free and to mature successfully in today’s world.Hawaii“The Bobby Benson Center brings hope to young people and their families caught in the devastating world of alcohol and other drugs,”said Center founder, David Benson. “Here, troubled teens enter a supportive environment, where they acquire the knowledge and socialskills to negotiate a clearer way through life. The successes of the Bobby Benson Center can best be seen in our graduates who return tohelp their peers conquer the difficulties they once struggled against.”“We are honored to begin a partnership with the Bobby Benson Center that helps raise awareness in our communities about the dangersand prevalence of teen alcohol and drug addiction in Hawaii. Only as a community can we hope to return teens to their schools andcommunities with the skills and resources they need to be successful,” said Jon Hines, assistant director of Community Outreach for thecampus and event organizer.Ohana Can Combat Teen Drugand Alcohol AddictionOhana means family, and a family of support is what Argosy University, Hawaii is helping to provide through itspartnership with the Bobby Benson Center. The Argosy University campus teamed up with the Bobby Benson Centerin January 2011 to host an open house event designed to bring the community together to learn more about drug andalcohol addiction, as well as mental illness in teens.The Bobby Benson Center is a residential and outpatient, community-based, social-learning model program designedto provide adolescents, ages 13-18, with the opportunity to gain the skills needed to develop a lasting recovery fromdependency on drugs or alcohol. Specifically, the treatment program is designed to help break through the denial ofdrug and alcohol addiction, develop coping skills to manage the ups and downs of life, learn the triggers that lead torelapse, and begin taking personal responsibility for actions.During the open house event, members of the community were invited to the center to meet with staff members andArgosy University faculty specializing in drug and alcohol addiction. Attendees were provided resources about the signsand symptoms of abuse, were introduced to the programs at the Bobby Benson Center, and were provided informationon how to best support teens in need in their families and community.