"REVOLUTIONARY IN REDUCING TREATMENT GAP, NATIONAL CRISIS"
 

(San Jose, CA)--Joined by the country's former Drug Czar, school officials, anti-drug experts, and teens, CRC Health Corporation and its online affiliate eGetgoing, the country's only accredited internet drug and alcohol treatment company, today announced and displayed the nation's first internet-based interactive audio and video drug and alcohol treatment and counseling program for teenagers. CRC Health Corporation CEO Dr. Barry Karlin and former U.S. Drug Czar, Four-Star General Barry McCaffrey, joined teens, school officials, and anti-drug leaders in a demonstration formally launching the program on Wednesday, November 13, at CRC headquarters in San Jose, CA.
 

Dr. Karlin said, "The 'teenGetgoing' program, which has carried out pilot projects with outstanding results, will make a big difference in how the nation handles drug and alcohol dependency by teens who now face a gap in treatment services. We have a national crisis in teen drug and alcohol abuse. Today we are announcing a way to do something extremely significant about it, something that will be revolutionary in reducing the treatment gap. Teens say that 'teenGetgoing's' private interactive video and Internet technology is 'cool'. The program also overcomes traditional drug and alcohol treatment obstacles of access, stigma, privacy, and cost. According to the Household Survey recently released by HHS, nearly one-fourth of eighth graders say they have been drunk; 10.8% of youth 12-17 used illegal drugs last year. "
 

Gen. McCaffrey, who joined the Board of eGetgoing because of "the enormous potential for the Internet to make a difference in the country's drug treatment gap," stated, "The growing crisis of teen drug abuse mandates the imaginative and creative

approach that teenGetgoing will employ on the Internet. We know that teens love interactive video, and teenGetgoing gives kids the opportunity to seek treatment in an atmosphere in which they are comfortable, with the added benefit of privacy. According to HHS, 27 million Americans use illegal drugs or alcohol regularly, 16 million need treatment, but only 3 million get it. The desperation of addiction is even more tragic when young people cannot obtain treatment. The new youth treatment opportunity from this innovative technology opens the door for them to improve the rest of their lives."
 

Mike Mikesell, Ph.D., School Psychologist and Counselor at West Slope Senior Academy in Portland, Oregon, reported to the group that a teenGetgoing pilot project with over 20 students had "outstanding results for the kids". He said , "The students love going on the Internet. They require no persuasion to go on-line with the counselor and look forward to it every day. Uniformly and resoundingly, everyone liked the program. Before, we were having a pretty tough time reaching the kids." Dr. Mikesell stated, "Most of all, I believe that drug consumption in the school was beginning to fall."
 

Jackie Guevarra, Principal of Foothill High School in San Jose, which is currently piloting teenGetgoing, also participated in the news conference and voiced her endorsement of the program. Also joining the news conference was Gabrielle Antollovich, Executive Director of National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) of Silicon Valley, and innovative anti-drug educator Lynn Lafferty, author of INDEPTH.
 

Dr. Karlin and General McCaffrey also made four other important announcements:

· "The extremely positive results" of the first year tests of CRC's also unique adult on-line treatment program, "eGetgoing", the only nationally accredited program.

· "eGetgoing's" role in the new comprehensive national treatment system of CRC Health Corporation, including residential and outpatient drug treatment. eGetgoing is now creating a new model for addiction treatment, and together with the full scope of services offered by CRC, affords the full continuum of care.

· CRC's addition of a major multi-state methadone program to keep people off heroin, away from crime, and in productive positions in the community.

· CRC recently completed a substantial round of equity funding, making it one of the country's largest drug and alcohol treatment organizations. In addition, CRC was cited last month by the Silicon Valley Business Journal as one of the five fastest growing private companies in the Silicon Valley.
 

The news conference and demonstration were held at eGetgoing's studio at CRC Health Corporation, 105 North Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA.