Managing Addictive Behaviours

SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is an evidence-based recovery method grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), that supports people with substance dependencies or problem behaviours to:

  • Build and maintain motivation;
  • Cope with urges and cravings;
  • Manage thoughts, feelings and behaviours; and
  • Lead a balanced life

SMART Recovery’s methodologies and community-driven approach make it an excellent fit for supporting the ACT Corrective Services Strategic Plan, particularly in fostering rehabilitation, reducing reoffending, and enhancing community safety.

Improved Community Safety

SMART Recovery's Contribution: By focusing on self-management and recovery training, SMART Recovery helps individuals manage their addictive behaviours, which often correlate with criminal behaviour. This reduction in substance abuse directly contributes to lower crime rates, enhancing community safety. The program's emphasis on coping with urges and managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviours aims at preventing relapse, which is crucial for maintaining a safer community.

Reduced Reoffending

SMART Recovery's Impact: The program's evidence-based approach, rooted in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing, helps participants understand and alter their behavioural patterns. By building motivation and providing tools for lifestyle balance, SMART Recovery supports participants in making lasting changes, which can significantly reduce recidivism rates. The program's focus on accountability and self-empowerment encourages participants to take responsibility for their actions, promoting a decrease in reoffending.

Improved Opportunities for Rehabilitation and Reintegration

SMART Recovery's Role: SMART Recovery meetings are designed to be inclusive, supporting anyone seeking to change an addictive behavior, including those within the correctional system. The program's structure allows for the development of personal goals, which can include reintegration into society through better family relationships, employment, and social connections. The tools provided in SMART Recovery help individuals build a lifestyle that supports sobriety and social integration, aligning with the goal of rehabilitation and reintegration.

Safe, Secure, and Humane Environments

Alignment with SMART Recovery: The program's philosophy of treating addiction as a behavioral issue rather than defining someone by their addiction promotes a humane approach. Meetings are conducted in a non-judgmental, stigma-free environment where participants are treated with dignity. This approach mirrors the strategic plan's emphasis on "dignity" by ensuring that individuals feel respected and supported rather than punished or dehumanised.

Skilled, Professional, Resilient, and Valued Workforce

SMART Recovery's Contribution: The program relies on trained facilitators who often have personal experience with recovery, bringing both professional skills and empathy to the role. SMART Recovery provides ongoing training and support for these facilitators, ensuring they are equipped to handle diverse participant needs. This training and support system reflect the strategic plan's commitment to "excellence" through developing organisational capacity.

Improved and Targeted Service Delivery for Vulnerable and Overrepresented Cohorts

SMART Recovery's Efforts: SMART Recovery meetings are available both in-person and online, making them accessible to a broad audience, including those in correctional facilities or remote areas. The program does not require any specific belief system or background, making it adaptable for various vulnerable populations, including Indigenous Australians, who might be overrepresented in correctional systems. Tailored approaches, like those seen in the program's adaptation for different languages or specific issues (e.g., gambling), demonstrate targeted service delivery.

Alignment with the Four Pillars of the Strategic Plan: SAFETY

SMART Recovery's focus on managing and reducing addictive behaviours directly supports community safety.

Alignment with the Four Pillars of the Strategic Plan: REINTEGRATION

By offering tools for lifestyle balance and goal setting, the program aids in the reintegration process.

Alignment with the Four Pillars of the Strategic Plan: DIGNITY

The program's approach to recovery is humane and respects the individual, aligning with the mandate of treating people with dignity.

Alignment with the Four Pillars of the Strategic Plan: EXCELLENCE

Through its evidence-based methods and continuous improvement of facilitator training, SMART Recovery exemplifies organisational excellence.

Evidence Plan

The SMART Recovery program focuses on evidence-based methods to support individuals in managing substance dependencies and problem behaviours. The program demonstrates the following effective methods for accomplishing learning styles, focusing on its evidence plans and intended outcomes:

Research and Evaluation

SMART Recovery emphasises ongoing research and evaluation of its methods. For instance, systematic reviews and studies assess the program's effectiveness, which includes looking at participant outcomes like abstinence rates, reduction in harmful behaviours, and improvements in psychological well-being.

Outcome Studies

Several studies have been conducted to evaluate SMART Recovery. These studies measure outcomes in terms of behaviour change, group satisfaction, and engagement, indirectly evaluating how well the program's methods align with participants' learning styles.

Feedback Mechanisms

The program collects feedback from participants to refine its approach, ensuring that the methods resonate with different learning preferences. This includes understanding how participants interact with the program's tools and techniques.

Outcomes

Intended Outcomes related to Learning Styles:

1. Building Motivation

Learning Style: Motivational interviewing techniques are employed, which can be seen as catering to reflective and auditory learners, as participants learn through dialogue and self-reflection.

Intended Outcome: Enhanced internal motivation for change, which is fundamental for any learning process.

2. Coping with Urges

Learning Style: Practical exercises and homework are used, appealing to kinesthetic learners who benefit from doing.

Intended Outcome: Participants learn to manage cravings effectively through practical application, ensuring skills are learned and retained.

3. Managing Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviours:

Learning Style: Uses cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) methods, which involve cognitive restructuring, suitable for analytical and logical learners but also includes practical exercises for kinesthetic learners. Intended Outcome: Better emotional regulation and decision-making, leading to a decrease in problematic behaviours.

4. Living a Balanced Life

Learning Style: Encourages goal setting and lifestyle planning, which can appeal to those who learn through organizing and planning (a structured learning approach). Intended Outcome: Participants achieve a more balanced, fulfilling life, reducing the reliance on substances or harmful behaviours.

Effective Methods for Different Learning Styles:

Group Discussions and Role-Playing

This engages auditory learners through discussion and visual/kinesthetic learners through demonstration and practice.

Worksheets and Tools

The SMART Recovery Toolkit includes various worksheets that cater to visual and reading/writing learners, helping them process information in a structured format.

Interactive Online Platforms

Offering both online and in-person meetings caters to digital learners who prefer learning through technology or those who need the flexibility of online resources.

Personalised Goal Setting:

This method respects individual learning paces and preferences, allowing participants to tailor their recovery journey, which can be seen as adaptive learning.

Real-Life Application

By encouraging participants to apply what they learn in real-life scenarios, SMART Recovery ensures that learning is experiential, which is effective across all learning styles but particularly for practical learners.

Summary

While SMART Recovery does not explicitly outline its approach in terms of traditional learning styles like visual, auditory, or kinesthetic, its design inherently accommodates diverse learning needs through varied engagement methods. The program's success, as demonstrated by research and participant feedback, indicates that its evidence-based, flexible approach effectively meets different learning styles, leading to positive outcomes in recovery.

Systems for Managing and De-escalating Situations

Facilitator Training and Accreditation

Facilitators undergo comprehensive training which includes conflict resolution, group dynamics management, and crisis intervention. This training equips them with the skills needed to recognize and handle escalating situations effectively.

Meeting Guidelines

Each meeting starts with an explanation of the ground rules, which include respect for all participants, confidentiality, and non-judgmental attitudes. These rules help set an expectation for behaviour, reducing the likelihood of conflicts.

3. Supportive Environment

SMART Recovery meetings aim to create a safe space where participants feel supported. This environment is fostered through the use of empathy, active listening, and motivational interviewing techniques by facilitators.

Crisis Management Protocols

Training for facilitators likely includes protocols for managing crises or emotional escalations, which could involve:
*Time-outs: Allowing individuals time to cool down if emotions run high.
*One-on-One Support: Offering private conversations for particularly distressed participants.
*Referral to Services: Suggesting additional support like mental health services if needed.

Participant Involvement in Safety

The program encourages participants to be proactive in their own safety and the safety of the group. This includes self-regulation and using the tools learned in the meetings to manage personal triggers.

Online Meeting Specifics

For online meetings, facilitators have control over participant interaction, such as muting participants if necessary, or using private chat for one-on-one de-escalation.

De-escalation Processes

Immediate Response

Facilitators are trained to respond promptly to signs of distress or conflict. This might involve acknowledging the participant's feelings, redirecting the conversation to less contentious topics, or using humor appropriately to lighten the mood.

Techniques

Active Listening: Ensuring participants feel heard, which can calm heightened emotions.

Empathy and Validation: Recognizing and validating participants' experiences and emotions.

Problem-Solving: Helping participants to use SMART tools to address what's causing their distress.

Group Dynamics Management

Facilitators monitor group interactions to prevent any one person from dominating or escalating the conversation. They might intervene to balance participation or to manage a situation where a participant might be triggering others.

SMART Tools

Participants are encouraged to use the program's tools like the "Cost-Benefit Analysis" or "ABC Model" to reframe their thinking during emotionally charged moments, thus de-escalating their own reactions.

Feedback and Reflection

After a session, facilitators might reflect on how situations were managed, seeking feedback from participants to improve future responses to similar situations.

Escalation to Higher Support

If a situation is beyond the facilitator's capacity, there are measures to escalate the matter to program coordinators or to suggest further professional help, ensuring participant safety.

Summary

These systems and processes are designed to create an environment where participants can focus on recovery without the fear of judgment or conflict, promoting a therapeutic rather than confrontational atmosphere. However, specific details on crisis management might not be publicly detailed for security reasons but are implied through the training and philosophy of the program.

Yeddung Mura and ACT Corrective Services work together to support a safer community. This section provides information on how key attributes of this program works towards this purpose.

The program builds and maintains community safety. Click the heading for the community safety strategic approaches.

The focuses on anger management and conflict resolution, which can be foundational for rehabilitation and successful reintegration of offenders. Click the heading for how the program supports these goals.

The program fosters environments that are safe, secure, and humane, thereby ensuring participants are treated with humanity, dignity, and respect. Click the heading for how this is achieved.

Yeddung Mura demonstrates several key attributes that ensure the program is delivered with excellence. Click the heading for details on these attributes.

This program incorporates various learning styles to ensure effective education on managing conflict and anger. Click the heading for how they address different learning styles, their intended outcomes and evidence plans.

This program provides a structured approach to managing conflict and de-escalating situations through its group-based program. Click the heading for the systems and processes to manage these situations.