Description
Developmentally, youth engage in an array of unhealthy behaviors, including substance use risk-taking that may result in poor health outcomes into adulthood, including chronic disease, mental disorders, and the development of substance use disorders. A major system gap in community behavioral health settings serving youth has been a lack of early intervention programing that address substance use risk- taking. This training introduces providers to an available psychoeducational resource (Healthy YOUth Early Intervention Curriculum) developed to support providers in the implementation of early intervention services. Given that the Healthy YOUth Early Intervention Curriculum is an extensive educational workbook with four modules, this training consists of a two-part series to cover the content. Both parts review provider considerations and best practices for implementing effective early intervention services in youth systems of care for at-risk youth populations, with Part I covering educational units from Modules 1 and 2 of the Healthy YOUth Early Intervention Curriculum and Part II covering educational units from Modules 3 and 4 of the Curriculum. Reviewing Modules 1 and 2 provides an overview of key developmental principles and concepts associated with early intervention services, as well as, provides a foundation for understanding critical considerations when working with at-risk youth. In modules 3 and 4, foundations for understanding relationship health and community re- integration are provided. Here providers will be able to identify key developmental principles and concepts associated with successful behavior change, as well as, understand critical considerations when working with at-risk youth that serve as barriers to behavior change. This specific training module will cover Module 1 of the Healthy YOUth Early Intervention Curriculum.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of the training, participants will be able to:

1. Identify two (2) key developmental principles and concepts associated with early intervention
   services.
2. Describe (2) critical provider considerations when working with at risk youth.   
3. Apply understanding of the Healthy YOUth Early Intervention Curriculum - Module 1 educational
   units from didactic applications.

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 Castaneda, PhD, MPH & Sherry Larkins, PhD 
 
Rachel Gonzales-Castaneda, PhD, MPH, 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.

Sherry Larkins, PhD, currently directs the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Program's International Training and Education efforts. She has directed training, technical assistance, and evaluation initiatives for local, state, and international programs. Her recent specialties include advocating for change and improvement in local youth settings with respect to at-risk early intervention programming and treatment for addressing co-occurring substance use and mental health needs of youth.

Hours/CEs
1 hour 45 minutes; 1.5 CE hours.

Format
This online course uses a mixed-media format of video and PowerPoint slides.

Process
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.

Prerequisites
None

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
Azusa Pacific University 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.