Community mobile treatment What it is and how it works

In 1984, Paul Hanki of Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, developed community mobile treatment, an innovative approach to substance abuse treatment in Native communities. The feature that distinguishes community mobile treatment from most other forms of treatment is the strong emphasis on community involvement. Before an actual treatment program is implemented, the community must acknowledge that a substance abuse problem exists and be committed and involved in addressing the problem. Once a community is mobilized, a 21 to 28 day intensive alcohol and drug treatment program for substance abusers and their families is brought into the community. Since its inception in 1984, community mobile treatment has been implemented in approximately 17 Canadian communities. The few evaluations that have been conducted suggest that this approach holds much promise in reducing alcohol and drug-related problems. This article reviews the existing documentation and provides a comprehensive description of this unique approach.