Course Agenda

    1. Instructions

    1. Pretest Instructions

    2. Pretest

    1. Course Overview

    1. Print Posttest Study Guide

    2. American Attitudes Regarding Addiction

    3. Addiction as a Morality Issue

    4. Required Video: Addiction—Types, Causes, and Solutions (for Teens) (2:28 minutes)

    5. Addiction as a Disease

    6. Addiction as Maladaptive Coping

    7. Addiction as a Syndrome

    8. Required Video: The Science of Addiction and the Brain (9:26 minutes)

    9. Addiction Policies and Practices

    1. Adolescent Substance Use

    2. Required Video: Teen Health—Substance Use and Abuse (2:52 minutes)

    3. The Abstinence-Only Approach

    4. The Harm Reduction Approach

    5. Required Video: Finding the Hook—Changing Perceptions of Harm Reduction Strategies (3:40 minutes)

    6. Approaching Abstinence in a Harm Reduction Program

    7. Taking a Reality-Based Approach

    8. Case Vignette Description—Lily

    9. Case Vignette Discussion—Lily

    1. Consent to Treatment and Confidentiality

    2. Related Resources for Practitioners

    3. The Juvenile Justice System

    4. Required Video: Brain Science of Juvenile Justice (4:16 minutes)

    5. The Child Welfare System

    6. Case Vignette Description—Tony

    7. Case Vignette Discussion—Tony

About this course

  • $36.00
  • 49 lessons

Course Details

Course Description

This course is the second module in a two-part series focused on adolescent substance use. Module 1 provided a brief clinical overview of substance use in adolescents, while Module 2 focuses on assessment and treatment of adolescent substance-related problems and discusses how personal and professional beliefs influence policy and practice. This second module emphasizes the need for accurate assessments, reviews four current assessment tools used specifically with adolescents, and outlines several evidence-based treatment approaches. It also provides a very brief overview of the DSM-5 criteria for substance-related and addictive disorders. To complete the module, participants read online content, view short web-based video clips, and access instructional material including many insightful optional resources. To print a certificate of completion, the online posttest must be passed with a score of 80% or better.

Target Audience

The two-part substance use series is designed for social workers, behavioral health practitioners, and other professionals working with adolescents.

Learning Objectives

After completing this module, readers will be able to do the following:

  • Identify long-standing concepts and beliefs regarding substance-related and addictive issues that negatively or positively impact policies and practices.
  • Identify key elements of assessment tools specifically designed for adolescents.
  • Identify the value of an integrated approach to treatment, especially when treating adolescents with co-occurring disorders.
  • Identify effective strategies that engage, empower, and reduce substance use in youth.

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