NorthNodeRewards

As a new client of the NorthNode Matrix IOP program, there’s an exciting opportunity available to help you reach your goals and provide some extra positive feelings for you along the way to Find Your North!

It is called the “Node Rewards” program, in which you can receive rewards for completing certain aspects of your program, such as daily attendance, perfect weekly attendance and homework assignments. You will have the opportunity to be immediately rewarded for completing your treatment activities each day. This can be compared to getting paid for going to your job every day. In this case, your job is to stay clean from drugs and alcohol and to attend every scheduled group each week.

Here’s how it works:

As a Node Rewards participant, you will be permitted to draw a ticket from a fishbowl at the end of each completed group session. You also may draw once after each completed homework assignment. Each ticket may indicate that you have won a small, medium or large award, or it may have a “☺” which means you did not win an item for that draw (but keep trying!).

Each time you draw, you have a 50% chance of winning something! Most of the prize tickets will be for small items, with fewer tickets available for medium prizes, and the fewest for a large prize. Once you draw a winning ticket, you will be permitted to immediately choose from the items available in that category (small, medium or large) from The Node closet.

It gets better! At the end of each week, if you attended all scheduled groups for the week, you would get to draw an extra ticket, to reward you for your perfect attendance for that week. Each consecutive week that you attend without any absences, you will be rewarded with more bonus draws for the total number of weeks you attended. So, at the end of 12 weeks, if you didn’t miss any groups at all, you could have the opportunity to draw 13 tickets in one day!

So, what happens if you miss a group? Good question. Here’s how it works: If you don’t go to your job, you don’t get paid. So obviously, if you miss a group (or didn’t attend at least the majority of that group), you miss a draw for that day, and you would be reset back to week one for your weekly bonus draw. There are two types of absences:

1. Unexcused absence: This is when you are a “no call, no show” for group. If you miss group for any reason and don’t contact your case manager or therapist to inform them of the missed group, it is considered an unexcused absence. You will be reset back to one for your bonus weekly draw. But you still have the chance to rebuild your numbers through the following weeks if you don’t miss any more groups.
2. Excused absence: An absence is excused when you call to inform NorthNode of your absence BEFORE the missed group and you have a legitimate reason for missing group. You then need to have documented proof that missing the group was necessary. You need to bring the documentation to the next group you are scheduled to attend.
   1. For example, if you or your child were in the emergency room, or you had a court hearing for CPS, you would need to bring in objective documentation that verifies that was actually where you were. If you are unable to provide documented, verifiable proof for the absence, it will be considered an unexcused absence.
   2. If you call ahead AND bring in documentation to your next group session, then the absence will be excused. You will not get a bonus draw for that week, but your bonus draws also will not be reset. At the end of your next week of full attendance (assuming you had no unexcused absences in the meantime), you will get your full bonus draw.

There’s one more important thing to tell you about. If you have a positive urine or oral sample drug screen while you’re in the program, you will also be reset back to only one bonus draw for that week, and you will start building your bonus draws all over again. If you openly and honestly share about a using episode without a positive drug screen, you will not be penalized by having bonus draws reset; you will still receive your full bonus draws, assuming your attendance is perfect for that week.

What happens when you complete the IOP program or transfer to another group? Currently, this program is only available for the members of the NorthNode Matrix IOP group or SUD Outpatient program. Therefore, if you are no longer able to attend this group or once you graduate from this group, you will no longer receive the rewards from the lottery bowl. However, keep in mind the positive things you are gaining in your life if you continue to follow through in your treatment activities even without the chance to receive rewards! People important to you in your life (significant other, children, CPS or other professionals involved) will see a difference in you if you stay committed and complete this program. Your most important reward is getting your life back on track. You can do it if you make that effort! And NorthNode is here to support you in making those positive changes in your life.

A staff member will show you a picture of The Node closet, showing you some of the items you could receive. You will also be given the chance to suggest items you would like to choose from in the future, by listing items on the sheet located at the Front Office.