Chapter 1 attempts to establish our frame of reference for responding to adolescent chemical use problems. It is not intended as a cram course on adolescent alcohol and other drug problems, but as an overview of the authors' orientation to adolescent chemical use.

Chapter 2 presents some of the most important information in the entire text: nine fundamental principles and practices which are essential to effective outpatient treatment with adolescents. These nine fundamentals will be referenced again and again throughout the book.

Chapter 3 describes the evaluation and assessment process from the perspective of the outpatient practice. Readers who are unfamiliar with the evaluation and assessment process will find guidance as well as flexibility. Readers who are familiar with the evaluation and assessment process used at other levels of care for adolescents with chemical use problems may find important differences between the model described here and the one(s) with which they are familiar.

Chapter 4 through 14 describe, in detail, an outpatient program model for treating adolescents with alcohol and other drug related problems. This program model is based on the nine fundamentals presented in Chapter 2. The model has proven, over a number of years. Our rationale for the detailed presentation of the model is two-fold. First, it is one of the oldest, most successful outpatient treatment programs of its kind; it's a good model. Second, and equally important, presentation of this model demonstrates clearly how the nine fundamental principles and practices can be woven, at the most basic level, into the fabric of an outpatient treatment model.

Chapter 15 presents basic principles of networking. Some the information in this chapter will be applicable to providers serving adolescents with chemical use problems at any level of care. Several of the reasons networking is especially important in the outpatient setting are covered in this chapter.

Chapter 16 and 17 discuss relapse and early discharge, respectively.

Chapter 18 closes the main text. Included in the Appendices are the treatment forms talked about throughout this book: Chemical Use Assessment, Feelings Assessment, Relapse Prevention Assessment, Behavior Change Assessment, etc.