Substance Abuse

When Parish President J. Mitchell Ourso Jr. asked residents to rate their concerns for the parish, drug abuse was consistently at the top of the list.

Through Mr. Ourso's efforts, funding for this parish's first substance abuse treatment center was acquired. In the seven years of its existence, the Iberville Parish Substance Abuse Center (IPSAC) has grown in size and the services provided. Since its inception, IPSAC has provided assessment, treatment and support services to more than 2,000 Iberville residents, and more than 5,000 Iberville Parish students have participated in the Center's prevention program.

Funding & Fees
 The Iberville Parish Substance Abuse Center is funded through grants from the Iberville Parish Council and the Capital Area Human Services District, the 18th Judicial District Court, Plaquemine City Court and client fees. Less than 30% of the total funding of IPSAC comes from the taxes of Iberville residents. It has been estimated that the successful substance abuse treatment of six people (thus keeping them out of the criminal justice system) will save Iberville taxpayers more money than the parish provides for the operation of IPSAC.

Program Fees
 The treatment program is funded primarily through grants from the parish and state. Client fees are on a "sliding fee scale" and no one is denied treatment because of an inability to pay.

Services

Substance Abuse Services

This program averages more than 350 substance abuse assessments per year for Iberville residents referred by the court, probation and parole, social services, and employers. Iberville Parish also has one of the highest rates of voluntary referrals in the seven parishes served by the Capital Area Human Services District.

During a typical week, almost 100 Iberville Parish residents will receive services at the Iberville Parish Substance Abuse Center. These services include:
  • Addiction assessment and evaluation screenings
  • Intensive Outpatient treatment (nine hours of therapy per week)
  • Moderate Intensive Outpatient treatment (four hours of therapy per week)
  • Non Intensive treatment (one and a half-hours of treatment per week)
  • Individual therapy
  • After Care therapy
  • Support (NA/AA) groups

More than 25 clients in an average week would be facing incarceration if not participating in this program. The success of the Iberville Parish Substance Abuse Center has led to it being used as the model for treatment centers in other parishes.

Prevention & Educational Services

In addition to treatment services, the Iberville Parish Substance Center is very active in promoting substance abuse prevention and community education. With money provided by the Iberville Parish Council and Capital Area Human Services District (CAHSD), Iberville Parish has the most extensive prevention program in the seven-parish area of CAHSD.

This program (Coping Skills), developed by the staff of the Iberville Parish Substance Abuse Center, is presented to all Kindergarten-6th grade students in the parish. Unlike many prevention programs, the Iberville Parish model addresses a broad range of issues ranging from peer pressure to anger management to acceptance that life (school) will be difficult. By teaching children at a very young age, to deal more effectively with life difficulties, these children will be better able to deal with these same issues as adolescents and adults. The Iberville Parish model is used throughout the state for student truancy programs (TASC).

Additional Info

Program Recognition

G. Bert Allain, Director of the Iberville Parish Substance Abuse Center, is shown accepting the 2005 Service Recognition Award from Dean Mary Ellen Knodrat of the LSU School of Social Work. This award is given annually to the social worker whose efforts have had a significant impact on their local community. Mr. Allain's effort to bring an innovative prevention program to elementary school children has been recognized regionally and nationally. The program, provided to more than 1,200 students in the 2nd through 4th grades in Iberville, has been a model promoted by the LSU School of Social Work and is featured in the book Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Clinical Social Work Practice, edited by Dr. Arthur Freeman.

Iberville Parish's Substance Abuse Program has received accolades by recognized authorities in the field and Social Work associations. Listed below are some of the honors received by the program.

  • The Iberville Parish Model prevention program is the subject of a National Institute of Health research grant application by the LSU School of Social Work. This program is also the subject of a professional journal article being prepared by Dr. Catherine Lemieux of LSU.
  • The professional work of IPSAC is the subject of a chapter in a soon to be released book Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Workers by the nationally known author, Dr. Arthur Freeman of the University of St. Francis.

The Iberville Parish Substance Abuse Center's treatment program was featured at the 2005 Louisiana National Association of Social Workers conference and the 2005 Utah Conference for Professionals in Substance Abuse.

 

 

Contact Us


Bert Allain
Director
ballain@ibervilleparish.com

Address
24705 Plaza Dr., Suite B
(in the rear of the new Parish Health Unit building)

Phone
(225) 687-5889 

Hours
Monday - Thursday
8:00 am - 4:30 pm for therapy,
8:00 am - 5:00 pm for assessments

Parish Contact

Substance Abuse

P. (225) 687-5889

Address
24705 Plaza Dr., Suite B
(in the rear of the new Parish Health Unit building)

Hours:
Monday - Thursday
8:00 am - 4:30 pm for therapy
8:00 am - 5:00 pm for assessments

Bert Allain
Director