HEADLINE: KIDS:
CONTROVERSIAL WAY OF TREATING DRUG ABUSE
PUBLISHED: July 27, 1986,
Sunday; Page 0-3
SECTION: OPINION
TYPE: LETTER
COLUMN : LETTERS
TEXT:
Editor, The Record:
I was astounded when I
read your front-page article regarding KIDS of Bergen County in The Sunday Record
July 13.
My son was a client at
the KIDS program from October 1984 to February 1986, and I am familiar with the
people quoted in your article. Never at any time did I witness the abuse
described in the article. I did think to myself from time to time, however, that
any other program would have had some of these kids in a straitjacket. I had
adolescents in my home who, I can assure you, while not being coddled, were far
from tormented.
The parents quoted in
the article seem to have forgotten why they came to KIDS in the first place --a
complete inability to control their offspring as well as total desperation at
not being able to find help.
The staff at the KIDS
program are dedicated professionals who�s Concern for their charges goes, beyond
the call of duty. They can be reached 24 hours a day and respond immediately in
a crisis. Although my son did not complete treatment, as far: as I am concerned
this program saved his life and my sanity at a time when I had nowhere else to
turn.
I think it is a shame
that Dr. Miller Newton and the KIDS program are being subjected to this witch
hunt, and I Support them wholeheartedly in their attempt to stop the craziness
of drug and alcohol abuse.
I believe that closing
the KIDS program will do more damage to drug treatment of adolescents in New
Jersey than any other act. Lives are being lost every day, and the attempts to
close the program by disgruntled former clients are akin to helping children
commit suicide.
JEAN ARONSON
Paterson
Editor, The
Record:
As a faithful reader of The
Record for many years, I was aghast at such one sided journalism in your article about KIDS
of Bergen County. The article's headline, "Is
it treatment or torment?" gives the distinct impression that KIDS of Bergen
County is an uncaring organization that mistreats youngsters. Also, the article
centered on interviews with three former clients and their accusations, giving a
biased view of the program.
What you omitted was a
description of the antisocial behavior of these three youngsters prior to their
coming to the program as well as their disruptive behavior while in the program.
Also, what about the current sobriety of these three youngsters? Did your
reporter investigate that? Conning and lying are part and parcel of their
insidious disease --chemical dependency. Has the county prosecutor considered
that facet of the case?
As the mother of a graduate
of the KIDS program, I know the druggie routine well. I also know the depression
and stress that living with a druggie child brings to the family. Blaming others
becomes a very convenient way to handle this depression and stress. I know,
because I resorted to similar accusatory behavior myself.
I really fear that
some youngster who needs help may miss out on an excellent drug-alcohol
treatment center because of the way your article has tainted the KIDS program.
How about a Record reporter covering the other side of the story? That would
include talking with program graduates whose sobriety is credible, and with
their families who have reestablished a sane family life and found love for one
another again.
VIVIAN P. BELEN
Fair Lawn
Editor, The Record:
It was good to see that The
Record's investigative reporting has begun to look into KIDS of Bergen County,
the substance-abuse program in River Edge.
I have heard other upsetting reports of the misguided kind of coercion
that KIDS uses, similar to the reports in your article.
One girl from a Bergen
County town was part of a nice, caring group of friends, who were all good kids.
She came home one night after experimenting with beer for the first time, and
her single parent, who wasn't quite comfortable with having a teen-age daughter
anyway, contacted KIDS of Bergen County. She was immediately taken away and kept
totally out of touch with any of her friends.
I saw the anguish on
the part of her bewildered friends, one of whom is in a church group with me. They didn't
know what she had done or how long she would be gone, they hadn't had a chance
to say goodbye, and no one knew if there would be any contact in the future.
As a parent, I ask:
Since when do parents in our society have the right to take this action without
even listening to a minor? KIDS says they pattern their sessions after the 12
steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, but they've got it wrong. "Admitting we are
powerless over a substance" doesn't come from someone pinning a teen-ager to the
floor.
So a big thank you for
shedding light on this scary organization. We protest when people "disappear" in
Central America or South Africa, but now we're finding out that it can happen
here in Bergen County.
LINDA G. SMITH Glen Rock
Editor, The Record:
We have been involved in the
KIDS program for more than 11 months and are outraged by your story. The
headline was pure sensationalism.
The problem is you
don't know anything about the disease. Your story relied on the statements of
parents and clients who quit halfway through the treatment.
We were a fairly
normal family until my child used drugs. The guilt built up in her and the lying
became routine. Soon our lives were hell.
We went for medical
examinations; we tried family counseling and individual psychiatric help. Our
child wound up in an expensive hospital for 19 months and returned to her
compulsion less than 24 hours after coming home. It now turns out that she was
getting drugs in the hospital.
Our daughter spent 10 1/2
months in the KIDS program before returning home. She has made terrific changes
and her treatment is far from finished. We expect that she will be able to have
a healthy, happy, and productive life.
You hear stories every
week of how drugs lead to violence and death, yet you are shocked when a druggie
kid has to be restrained. We don't understand that. Did you really think druggie
kids are going to sit still and realize how chemically dependent they are in two
days or two weeks?
While in the hospital
(one of the best in the country) our child jumped out of the window to do drugs.
There was staff on duty and special locks on the
windows. She crushed a vertebra and has had pain ever since. To us, that is a
good reason not to have windows at a drug-treatment facility.
We have found there is a good reason for
all of the rules at KIDS. There is no abuse and there is no
mistreatment. The only torment is when the child suddenly realizes how drugs have
screwed up his life!
From being around the
building on weekends and from having-"newcomers" in our home, we can say that
KIDS is a program of 24-hours-a day caring.
A year ago our lives
were a mess. There was no hope, no joy, only anger and turmoil. All of our
problems have not disappeared, but we have some joy and a lot of hope.
The kids who do drugs cannot help
themselves. The parents must intervene and make a commitment to get them help.
We feel good that we have made this commitment. That we have, through KIDS,
given our child a second chance at life itself.
THOMAS HANRAHAN and PATRICIA
HANRAHAN
Glen Rock
Staff Writer Laura Gardner
replies:
The article was based
on the Bergen County prosecutor's inquiry into former clients' allegations of
physical abuse, unlawful restraint, and violation of clients' rights while in
the KIDS program. More than a dozen former clients and family members were
interviewed for the article.
<END>
TERMS: BERGEN COUNTY. CHILD.
DRUG. ALCOHOL. ABUSE. THE RECORD. VICTIM. FAMILY. YOUTH. COUNSELING
ORDER NUMBER: 1329083
NOTICE:
Copyright 1986 Bergen Record Corp.