The Program

A loving and stable home is an important support system for teens as they face the challenges of growing up. Creating such an environment can become difficult for caregivers when substance use disorders come into play, either through themselves or through their children and friend circles. We offer the Strengthening Families Program as part of our Clubhouse services to help families stay strong together.

Strengthening Families is an evidence-based family skills training program for families influenced by or at-risk for substance use disorders. The program operates from a strengths-based approach, seeking to empower the family unit and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect.

As part of The Clubhouse, the Strengthening Families Program focuses on helping caregivers strengthen and develop parenting skills that will help them provide the structure and boundaries the whole family needs to withstand substance use disorders. Together with the training the adolescents receive, the program improves family relationship skills and bonding, and fosters social competencies, prosocial friendships and a decrease in aggression and depression in adolescents.

The training program conveys five key protective concepts: parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, and social and emotional competence of children.

With the Strengthening Families Program, we want to improve parental confidence and skills to form a lasting and strengthening family bond.

Our Services

Starting in September 2023, we will offer our first cycle of the 12-session Strengthening Families Program. Please see below for the weekly program schedule. The Strengthening Families Program will take place every Tuesday for 12 weeks.

All sessions, including cooking and eating the family dinner, will take place on The Clubhouse by Ashley premises at 1016 K Beards Hill Road, Aberdeen, MD 21001. 

Schedule:

• 5:30pm-6:30pm: Family Dinner
• 6:30pm-6:45pm: Review of Program Expectations and Assignments
• 6:45pm-7:15pm: Group Sessions
  • Caregivers
  • Adolescents ages 12 to 17*
• 7:15pm-8:00pm: Family Session

Please note that we will not be providing childcare. 

*We also welcome participation of adolescents age 18 as long as they are still attending high school.

To Apply

This program is designed for families in the Harford County area.

To apply, please fill out this form online or download this pdf and email the filled out form to theclubhouse@ashleytreatment.org.

For more information about the program, please email theclubhouse@ashleytreatment.org or give us a call at 410-273-2300.

Accessibility

All Strengthening Families Program sessions will take place on The Clubhouse by Ashley premises at 1016 K Beards Hill Road, Aberdeen, MD 21001. 

From Us to You

Concerns

We encourage participants and individuals to seek resolution regarding concerns or conflicts with their care team members. If an issue cannot be resolved in that manner, participants and individuals have the right to submit a complaint through this link or via mail.

Our grievance procedure is outlined in the participants’ handbook and will also be displayed in the facility. All concerns are directed to the director of The Clubhouse. To resolve the situation, we may ask you to participate in a problem-solving session with your young adult peer recovery support specialist. If this should not resolve the issue, the concern may be escalated to the vice president of outpatient services and/or vice president of clinical services of Ashley.