STARS Nashville

About STARS Nashville

STARS is a social service organization in Nashville, Tennessee. They help young people address common behavioral issues. These range from depression and substance misuse to PTSD, violence and bullying. They offer substance use prevention, intervention and treatment services in schools and communities. Their substance use treatment is primarily provided via the Youth Overcoming Drug Addiction (YODA).

YODA is an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for adolescents and young adults with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. A co-occurring condition is when you struggle with both substance misuse and mental issues. The program is free for Tennessee residents aged 13 to 18 who are uninsured or lack coverage for substance use treatment. This aligns with STARS’ commitment to supporting recovery for all youths.

I like that they affirm and provide safe spaces for trans and gender-nonconforming young people. Trusting and respecting young people’s ability to be themselves helps them feel more comfortable. This can make therapy more effective. Their recovery approach is person-centered and uses proven therapy models that are tailored to young people’s specific needs.

The therapy is mainly provided in a group setting with individual sessions available as needed. You can expect to participate in three hours of evening group sessions for four days a week. These sessions focus on building healthy social, emotional and communication skills that inspire a sober lifestyle. They cover topics like healthy relationships, self-esteem and making positive choices or decisions. They also cover anger/stress management, grief and loss and coping with divorce.

The female groups meet in a safe space separate from the male. This makes sense since a female's recovery approach may be trauma-focused. Trauma-informed care requires a safe space to avoid reinforcing the past trauma that triggers substance use. The program incorporates family education to help loved ones understand the disease of addiction and how to support each other better.

Additional services available via YODA are drug testing, mental health screening and clinical assessment or evaluation. The latter includes both court-ordered and voluntary assessments. They may offer referrals to community providers that provide high-intensity substance use treatment if necessary. Low-intensity counseling and consultation are available for juvenile probationers. The program also includes drug court consultations, aftercare support groups and case management.

YODA is the lead agency for the Middle Tennessee Opioid Prevention Initiative. The overall initiative may include harm reduction services like free Narcan and fentanyl testing strips for those who need them. Another great initiative the “Lifeline Peer Project” can streamline your access to self help support groups like AA, NA and Celebrate Recovery after treatment.