Adolescence is a stage of life with specific health and developmental needs. A successful transition from childhood to adulthood can be difficult even under the best circumstances. For youth in foster care, particularly those affected by substance use disorders (SUDs), this transition can be further complicated by a lack of services and supports tailored to this stage of development.
This presentation will review the common assumptions and biases about adolescents involved in child welfare and detail the unique risks and needs of adolescents and transitional aged youth affected by substance use disorders, delinquency, and trauma. This presentation will highlight the importance of collaboration, examine collaborative strategies to engage adolescents and their supports, and identify strategies to promote resilience, recovery, and positive youth development to improve outcomes for adolescents and their families.
As a result of attending this training participants will:
• Be able to identify common attitudes, assumptions, and biases about adolescents involved in child welfare.
• Understand the unique needs of adolescents affected by substance use disorders and will identify key strategies to promote resilience, recovery, and positive youth development.
• Understand the importance of collaboration when working with adolescents and transitional aged youth affected by substance use disorders in the child welfare and juvenile justice system.
• Be able to identify concrete strategies to engage adolescents and their supports to improve outcomes for adolescents and their families.