In selecting help, you have many choices.  Asking the following questions might guide you to finding the assistance best suited to your family's need.
1.    What experiences do you have in the kind of problem our family is facing?
2.    What is the age range of your patients?
3.    Are your services covered by medical insurance?
4.    What training do you and the people on your staff have?
5.    Do you work with children individually (one on one) or in groups?
6.    Do you require that both parents be active participants in the evaluation and treatment?
7.    What should I tell my child about coming to you for help?

Questions to Clarify Agency Policies for Treatment of Dependency on Alcohol or Other Drugs

1.    Do you treat the symptoms of chemical dependency or the chemical dependency itself?
2.    Are you a certified addictions counselor?
3.    Is the goal of treatment to stop any use of alcohol or other drugs totally?
4.    Does your service include support from self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, Narcotics Anonymous?
5.    Does you treatment include help for the entire family other than the chemically dependent person? (Help for the family is important.)
6.    Does your program include assessment, de-tox, in-patient and / or out-patient rehabilitation, and family services?

Helpful Links

National Institute on Drug Abuse
American Council for Drug Education
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc

Ela Area Community Resource Phone Numbers

Self Help Group
AA(Alcoholics Anonymous) (847) 359-3311
Alanon/Alateen (847) 680-4640
NA(Narcotics Anonymous) (847) 848-4884
CA(Cocaine Anonymous) (773) 202-8898
OA(Overeaters Anonymous) (708) 346-0000
FA(Families Anonymous) 1-800-736-9805

Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
NICASA (847) 546-6450
Barrington Youth Services (847) 381-0345
Interventions/Contact (847) 526-0404
Lake County Health Department (847) 360-6700
Living Free Program (847) 816-7867

Domestic Abuse
A Safe Place (847) 249-4450
Community Youth Network (847) 548-6000

Sexual Assault/Abuse
LACASA (847) 244-1187
LACASA - 24 Hour Hotline (847) 872-7799
Community Youth Network (847) 548-6000

Health
Lake County Health Department (847) 360-6700

Pregnancy
Lake County Health Department (847) 360-6700
Tri-County Pregnancy Center (847) 526-0960
Catholic Charities (847) 546-5733

Counseling
Barrington Youth Services (847) 380-0345
Family Services of South Lake County (847) 438-4981
Community Youth Network (847) 548-6000
Omni Youth Services (847) 540-0680

Hotline Numbers
Crisis CONNECTION Hotline (847) 367-1080
Talk Line - Teens (847) 228-8336
Talk Line - Kids (847) 228-5437
National Runaway Switchboard 1-800-621-4000

More Resources

Bradley Counseling                    Catholic Charities                    Lake County Health
Center                                         Counseling                                Department
420 W. Grand Avenue                  998 Maple                                 Multi-Service
Lake Villa, IL 60046-1088           Mundelein, IL 60060                  3010 Grand Avenue
(847) 662 - 4464                          (847) 566-5168                         Waukegan, IL 60085
                                                                                                       (847) 360 - 6770

Family Service                            Catholic Charities                    Northern Illinois Council
Agency                                        Multi - Service                         on Alcoholism / NICASA
Counseling                                  671 S. Lewis Avenue                  Substance Abuse
2504 Washington Street                Waukegan, IL 60085                 31979 N. Fish Lake Road
Waukegan, IL 60085                    (847) 782-4000                         Round Lake, IL 60073
(847) 662-4464                                                                              (847)546-6450

Interventions/                              Community Youth                    Omni Youth Services
Contact                                         Network/CYN                         Multi-Service
Substance Abuse                         Counseling                               111 W. Lake Cook Road
26991 Anderson Road                  18640 W. Belvidere Road          Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
Wauconda, IL 60084                    Grayslake, IL 60030                  (847) 541-0190
(847) 526-0404                            (847) 548-6000

Youth and Family                        Gateway Foundation
Counseling                                   Substance Abuse
1585 N. Milwaukee Road             25480 W. Cedarcrest Lane
Libertyville, IL 60048                    Lake Villa, IL 60046
(847) 367-5991                            (847) 356-8205

A Safe Place                               Human Effective                         Lake County Council
Domestic Violence                     Living Programs                         Against Sexual Assault
P.O. Box 1067                             Sexual Abuse                              Sexual Abuse
Waukegan, IL 60079-1067          Chicago, IL 60605                        4275 Grand Avenue
(847) 249-5147                            (312) 939-6633                           Gurnee, IL 60031
                                                                                                         (847) 244-1187

The accumulation of information in this section was derived from various sources, including:
- National Inhalant Prevention Coalition (founded by Synergies)
- Isabel Burk, M.S., CHES, The Health Network
- Gordon T. Pryor, Ph.D
- Guillermo D. Jalil of NO MORE DRUGS, Inc.
- Illinois Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
- The Life Education Center (funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services)
- National Drug Information Treatment and Referral Hotline: (800) 662-HELP
- National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Guy Gugliotta, Washington Post staff writer
- Marijuana Anonymous
- The Century Council
- Lake County Police Juvenile Officers Association