Pathways Community Behavioral Healthcare is opening a residential drug treatment center this week in Columbia, Missouri for 12- to 17-year old teens struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, Columbia Daily Tribune reported on August 31.

Formerly an outpatient center, the new program will house 10 teens at a time for up to 60 days.  Once in the center, teens will have a full schedule of counseling, group therapy, classes, nutritious meals, and group outings.  Electronics, including cell phones, will not be allowed.  Also, guests have to be approved, and only participants with good behavior will be allowed to leave the site. 

With 250 patients going through the outpatient program yearly, Robert Whittet, director of central operations for Pathways Community Behavioral Healthcare, hopes that "the community as a whole is beginning to realize and accept that there is a major substance abuse problem here."