Comprehensive Training Program for Addressing Adolescent Substance Use

University of Pittsburgh researchers have developed a comprehensive training program designed to educate health professionals on the impact of substance use on adolescents and effective intervention strategies. This program aims to enhance the understanding of substance use disorders (SUD) in adolescents, identify environmental variables, explain legal and ethical considerations, recognize the effects of substances, and describe the referral process for SUD treatment. Tailored for primary care settings, this training equips health professionals with the knowledge and tools to address adolescent substance use effectively.

Description

The training program provides an in-depth overview of substance use disorders in adolescents, focusing on their impact and management. The learning objectives include describing SUDs and their impact on adolescents, identifying environmental variables that influence substance use, explaining legal and ethical considerations, recognizing the physiological, developmental, and behavioral effects of commonly used substances, identifying common comorbid conditions, and describing the referral process for SUD treatment. The content is specifically designed for health professionals in primary care settings, ensuring relevance and applicability in their daily practice.

Applications

• Training health professionals in primary care settings
• Enhancing patient care and intervention strategies for adolescent substance use
• Educating on the legal and ethical considerations for treating minors with SUD

Advantages

This training program offers a comprehensive and tailored approach to educating health professionals about adolescent substance use. It covers a wide range of topics, from the impact of substance use to the management of SUD with appropriate interventions. The program is designed to be practical and applicable in primary care settings, providing health professionals with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively address substance use in adolescents.

Invention Readiness

The training program has been developed and is available as a copyrightable text. It has been created with the support of the CDC Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) grant (NU17CE924975). The program is ready for implementation and dissemination to health professionals.

IP Status

Copyright