Daily Egyptian
Fall '03 Edition
Alcohol prevention programs ready to assist students, area
Andy Horonzy
Daily Egyptian
With nearly 700 motorists killed in Illinois each year in alcohol-related car crashes, alcohol awareness and prevention programs have long been staples of many college towns. And Southern Illinois is no different.
There are numerous programs available in Carbondale to those who have received a DUI or are simply seeking treatment. One such outlet is Carbondale DUI and Counseling Associates, which offers many options for those interested. Colleen Antonacci, a DUI specialist with Carbondale DUI and Counseling Associates, said while a majority of those who visit her office are court referred, she welcomes others as well.
"The main focus of our program is to identify what triggers a person's substance abuse," she said. "We try to gear our counseling and programs in a way where we can best raise awareness. Right now the way our society is, it seems like we have more awareness of what's in a McDonald's hamburger than what's in a can of beer."
Some of the ways Antonacci and her staff are trying to raise local awareness is by providing a mix of group and individual education. Carbondale DUI and Counseling Associates offers alcohol/substance abuse evaluations, DUI risk education classes, group alcohol/substance abuse counseling, consultation and guidance and individual counseling sessions.
Antonacci said alcohol/substance abuse evaluations typically cost $125, risk educations classes $120, and group counseling runs close to $20 per hour.
"Anybody can get a DUI," Antonacci said. "I've done evaluations on doctors, nuns, priests and lawyers. It can happen to anybody. That's what we want to try and get across to our clients."
Antonacci said the main problem facing today's society is that alcohol is held in such high esteem.
"Liquor commercials don't miss an audience in terms of their advertising," she said. "We preach drunk driving awareness, yet we sell alcohol in gas stations and have drive-thru liquor stores. It doesn't make sense."
While Antonnaci deals with a variety of members of the community, Ken Culton, coordinator of the SIUC Wellness Center, deals solely with students. He said his department's two principle concerns are providing students with clinical treatment and preventive education.
"Getting that knowledge out there is the single most important thing you can do as a treatment center," Culton said.
In addition to individual counseling, the Wellness Center also offers substance abuse groups, aftercare groups and services for those who have been impacted by the alcohol abuse of others. The Wellness Center is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and all the programs offered are free to students.
Culton and his staff also do a lengthy lecture series that preaches preventing substance abuse problems before they can begin.
"We do about 40 a year as kind of a proactive measure," Culton said. "Actually, the vast majority of college students aren't problem drinkers and don't have addictions. But the small percentage of those that do are the ones who are impacted profoundly."
Andy Horonzy can be reached at; ahoronzy@dailyegyptian.com
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