Description
As cannabis has become more accessible, there is a growing concern about the impact of cannabis use on youth populations. Youth in Los Angeles County are often exposed to media influence and peer influence on cannabis use; therefore, many do not view cannabis as harmful or risky. For this reasons, this training seeks to provide treatment providers with knowledge of the epidemiological trends of cannabis use among youth, the policies surrounding cannabis use, risk and protective factors to consider with youth, and brief intervention techniques to address cannabis use among youth. 

Learning Objectives

1. Describe local level epidemiological trends of cannabis use among youth.
2. Discuss current cannabis policy and regulations within California and implications for service delivery within the Los Angeles County youth system of care.
3. Identify risk factors and the immediate/long-term clinical effects of cannabis use among youth.
4. Identify best practices for addressing cannabis use among youth within the youth system of care.

Intended Audience

Healthcare professionals and treatment providers working with youth substance use populations, including:

• Licensed Psychologists and Registered Psychological Associates

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors

• Licensed Vocational Nurses

• Licensed Psychiatric Technicians

• Registered Nurses

• Nurse Practitioners

• Registered and Certified SUD Counselors

• Associate/clinical trainees/interns/students working under the supervision of licensed clinicians.

Instructor
Rachel Gonzales-Castaneda, PhD, MPH

Dr. Rachel Gonzales-Castaneda is a Professor of Psychology at Azusa Pacific University, where she helps lead the university’s Drug and Alcohol Counseling certificate program and Peer Support Specialist training initiatives. She also serves as an Associate Researcher, Step II, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Integrated Substance Use and Addiction Programs, where she leads and supports multi-year, federally and state-funded research and evaluation projects, including the California Services to Science Academy (CSSA) pilot and the Substance Use Prevention Evidence-Based Resource (SUPER) initiative. With over 20 years of experience in substance use disorder (SUD) research, program development, and training, Dr. Gonzales-Castaneda has worked extensively with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) to design and deliver the YSOC workforce development training series. Her trainings integrate culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and family-centered approaches for providers serving youth and Transitional Age Youth (TAY) across the continuum of care—prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery support. Her expertise spans the implementation of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), co-occurring disorder care, engagement strategies for justice-involved youth, recovery support models, and innovative prevention and early intervention programming for youth and family systems to address substance use risk. She also serves on several local, state and national behavioral health committees that support efforts to strengthen youth substance use prevention, early intervention and treatment programming in school, healthcare, justice, and housing settings.

Hours/CEs
1.5

Format
This online course uses a mixed-media format with PowerPoint slides, voice-overs, and closed captions.

Process
At the start of the training, participants will be given a pre-test assessment. During the training, participants will read or listen to the material presented in the slides. At the end of the training, participants will need to pass the training post-test with a score of 80% or better to print a certificate of completion and receive CE credits. 

CE Approval

This course meets the qualifications for one and a half (1.5) hours of continuing education credit/contact hours (CEs/CEHs). Los Angeles County (LAC)-Department of Public Health (DPH) Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) is an approved provider of continuing education for CMPSS (CalMHSA, #1014); CAODCs, SUDRCs, SUDCCs (CADTP, #181); RADTs I/II, CADCs-CASs, CADCs I/II, CADCs-CSs and LAADCs (CCAPP, #4-19-316-0227); and, CATCs I/II/III/IV/V/N/i/R (CAADE CEU Provider #: CP40 989 AHC 0725). Los Angeles County-Department of Public Health (LAC-DPH) Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) is approved by the California Psychological Association to provide continuing professional education for psychologists. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts continuing education credit granted by the California Psychological Association or by any of its Approved Providers. Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 18086, for 1.5 contact hours. LAC-DPH SAPC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Disclosure
County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control does not receive commercial support for the content of these trainings. Azusa Pacific University does not receive commercial support for the content of these trainings. County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control does not receive commercial support for the content of these trainings.

Questions and Concerns
If you have any questions related to the training content, please email HEALTHPSYCHLAB@APU.EDU.

If you have any questions related to continuing education, please email SAPC.CST@PH.LACOUNTY.GOV.

If you have any questions or concerns with the training, please email INFO@SAPC-LNC.ORG.