PITTSBORO, Ind. (WISH) — An outpatient substance use and mental health counseling center in northern Hendricks County announced Thursday it’s launched a program for adolescents aged 13 to 17 with mental health and substance use challenges. Program therapist Yasmin Martinez in a news relea se issued Thursday described that age group as “a pivotal time when kids are learning to be more independent yet can feel uncertain about what the future holds.” The Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program at The Willow Center‘s Pittsboro facility was described in the release as a 10-week intensive program offering nine hours of group therapy each week, along with individual and family counseling. Group sessions happened from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The program caters to adolescents experiencing severe depression, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, self-harming thoughts, substance use, trauma-related symptoms, school suspensions, or involvement with the juvenile justice system. Erica Bodeker, the clinical site supervisor, in a statement in the release called the launch “a pivotal advancement for Hendricks County, addressing the escalating mental health and substance use needs of adolescents through early intervention, prevention and skills-based education.” Throughout the program, participants will learn to process their feelings, practice healthy coping strategies and foster better relationships, the release said. A master’s degree-level clinician with specialized experience in adolescent care oversees the program. At the end of the program, participants will be encouraged to move into a lower-intensity program called Teen Resilience Regulation, allowing them to continue building on their progress and improving their long-term emotional health. The release said The Willow Center accepts most major commercial insurance plans and all forms of Medicaid, making the program accessible to a broad range of families. For information, call the Pittsboro facility at 317-286-3146 or visit its website. ...read more read less