Caron Treatment Centers Introduces New Training Program for Pediatricians

Caron Treatment Centers is launching a first of its kind program to help physicians better understand and recognize addiction in adolescents and family members, the leading nonprofit announced today.

The goal of the Caron Pediatric Addiction Training Program (CPATP) – offered for free to pediatric residency/fellowship programs and interested pediatricians – is to help prevent the cycle of addiction by giving pediatricians the tools to intervene on adolescents and their families at an earlier stage of life.

"We know that addiction often begins as early as 12-years-old for many people," said Harris Stratyner, PhD, Regional Vice President of Caron's New York center. "If more pediatricians are aware of the signs and symptoms of addiction and are empowered to take action – we can help teenagers and their families get the early intervention they need that can prevent tragic consequences later on."

The CPATP program will help pediatric resident physicians and fellows:
- Understand the causes of addiction and the substances often abused by adolescents
- Recognize the impact of alcoholism and addiction on society
- Learn to approach addiction in a non-judgmental way
- Recognize that addiction is a family disease requiring assessment, intervention and treatment for all family members
- Integrate addiction screening into routine medical assessments
- Understand their role in prevention and treatment

Dr. Nicholas Pace, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and William Ciccaroni, MS, along with Dr. Stratyner, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, will oversee the Caron program with supporting leadership from the following clinicians and institutions:
- Angela Diaz, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine and Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center
- Jennifer DiPace, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Pediatric Graduate Medical Education at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children's Health
- Paul Hokemeyer, JD, PhD, Caron Treatment Centers
- Lisa Ipp, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Director of Adolescent Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children's Health
- Herbert Kleber, MD, Director, Division on Substance Abuse, New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia Psychiatry
- Ralph Lopez, MD, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children's Health
- Nicholas Pace, MD, a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at New York University
- S. Kenneth Schonberg, MD, Professor, Adolescent Medicine in the Pediatrics Department at Montefiore Medical Center
- Charles Schwartz, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine and Family Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center

For more information on Caron Treatment Centers visit www.caron.org or follow Caron on twitter at @CaronTreatment.

About Caron Treatment Centers
Caron Treatment Centers is an internationally recognized non-profit provider of alcohol and drug addiction treatment. With more than 50 years in the field, Caron is one of the oldest and largest facilities offering primary, relapse and extended residential treatment for young adults, adults and adolescents, as well as families affected by the disease of addiction. Caron's gender separate and gender specific programs are housed in modern, state-of-the-art facilities. Caron has extensive experience in the treatment of co-occurring psychological/psychiatric disorders within its patient community. Caron utilizes research on Recovery For Life from leading institutions such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and The University of Pennsylvania's Treatment Research Institute. Formerly the Caron Foundation, Caron Treatment Centers operates residential treatment centers in Wernersville, in southeastern Pennsylvania and Dallas, Texas; a regional office in Philadelphia; Caron Renaissance, an extended care treatment center in Boca Raton, Florida; and recovery centers in New York City and Bermuda. For more information, visit www.caron.org, on Twitter at @CaronTreatment or read our blog www.caronchitchat.org.