DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Innovation 360, an outpatient treatment center for alcohol & drug addiction, depression, anxiety and bipolar, family therapy and life development, announced today that it is teaming up with the Betty Ford Center to host the Five Star Kids program for North Texas youth and their caregivers. The program, which helps children understand that family-related alcohol and drug abuse is not their fault, will be hosted at Innovation 360’s new Counseling Center located at 6600 LBJ freeway in North Dallas. The three-day community program will be held Aug. 16 – 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is for children ages seven to 12, including caregivers.
“Children are very often the innocent casualties in family-related alcohol and drug abuse situations,” said Kevin Gilliland, executive director at Innovation 360. “Most of them don’t understand what addiction is, so when a parent struggles with drug or alcohol abuse, the kids often blame themselves. By teaming up with the Betty Ford Center’s Five Star Kids program, we’re giving kids a safe place to meet other children in the same situation, express their feelings in a healthy way and understand that it’s not their fault.”
The Betty Ford Center’s Five Star Kids program will be hosted at the Innovation 360 Counseling Center where trained counselors will offer activities such as art, games and videos that help kids gain an understanding of addiction and learn how to identify and express their feelings in a healthy way. Parents and caregivers also receive support in a group setting, which teaches them new skills that encourage communication with their children.
“The Betty Ford Center Five Star Kids program is thrilled to team up with Innovation 360 as a host site for our program,” said Lance Hughes, Betty Ford Center Five Star Kids program manager. “We look forward to an ongoing collaboration in order for children to be included in the recovery process. With Innovation 360's new counseling center and support from their counselors, we'll help more children who struggle with addiction in their families. Giving these kids the tools, knowledge and support they need to lead productive lives is not only an investment in their future but in our community as well.”