Discovery: Principles and Practices of Motivational Assessment and Engagement with Adolescents

Registration deadline 4/4/2024

Location: Windjammer | South Burlington VT

Trainer:

Mitchell Barron, LICSW LADC
Trained as a clinical social worker and addiction treatment provider, Mitch Barron is a Principal with Centerpoint Consultation, Training, Technical Assistance (CTTA), with a focus on systems and practice improvement and advisory roles within child protection services and the judiciary. Mitch is also a Director with Principles to Practice, L3C, which includes supervision, leadership coaching, and clinical practice. Mitch is Co-Lead with the Vermont Treatment Enhancement Program (VTEP), having previously been a Principal with the federally-funded Youth Treatment Enhancement Program. For 26 years, Mitch served as the Director of Centerpoint ATS, Vermont’s largest provider of integrated treatment for adolescents and families. In this role, he was responsible for insuring the highest-quality services and support to meet the mental health, substance abuse, and special education needs of Vermont teens, young adults, and their families. Mitch has served as National Treatment Faculty with Reclaiming Futures, a public health and juvenile justice reform organization based at Portland State University, Oregon. Mitch has provided tenured leadership with the Vermont Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council and the Vermont Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and has fulfilled Board leadership roles with regional youth development, health promotion, and substance abuse prevention coalitions. Through his career, Mitch has been a practicing clinician, clinical supervisor, program director, educator, and administrator. He teaches, trains, and consults regionally and nationally on a variety of topics related to adolescent and family mental health, addiction, resiliency, and well-being.

Description:

‘Working with teens’ is often described as one of the hardest roles for the substance use and addictions professional: “resistant… defensive… challenging… unmotivated…” are labels often used with young people facing the causes and consequences of drug and alcohol use. “Oh… you work with teens? I could never do that” or “I used to do that, but I just can’t anymore” or “it takes a certain kind of person to work with teens ” are often shared and heard in our field. And indeed… there are certain skills, strategies, and styles that are essential in providing effective support for teens and young people. Interestingly, these same skills, strategies, and styles can be helpful with assessment, treatment, and support services for all populations. And fortunately, this model of care and service delivery can be adopted, adapted, and applied by many helping professionals, not limited to those with a focus on adolescent care. This training will build upon models of integrative and motivational engagement and assessment, with a focus on the provider’s (and system’s) understandings, intentional practice, and self-awareness – reconsidering goals, hopes, expectations, and outcomes in working with teens. This includes conceptual underpinnings – and most importantly – practical application and rehearsal to bring concepts and strategies into real world practice. This training is designed to be dynamic, participatory, curious, creative, and FUN (as should be our work with the young people we serve!). All are welcome for Discovery: Motivational Assessment and Engagement with Adolescents.

Agenda:

9:00 – Gather, welcome, Introductions, Orientation and Grounding Activity: Why this? Why now Services, supports, and the functions of assessment
Our roles – complementary expertise and curiosity as an alternative to inquisition and investigation Self-reflection and self-awareness in the assessment process;
10:30 – “Screening, Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis: What is it good for…Methods and modes of shared discovery within the engagement process; Assessment methodologies in working with adolescents: developmentally and culturally matched models Introduction to Core Principles practical Implications and case stories
12:00 – Lunch
1:00 – Regroup, Reground, and Review
Listen Up! (video segment)
Continuation with Core Principles practical Implications, case stories, rehearsal
1:45 – Bringing it all together: integration and application in the engaging interview Practice and course correction Novel situations, special considerations Risks and threats and a sense of safety
3:00 – Small group work: Discovery Practice Case conceptualization, Case Presentations
4:15 – Remaining questions, feedback, future forward
4:30 – Adjourn

• Schedule is subject to revision based on participant needs, interests, experience, and preference.
• (2) Brain breaks and stretch breaks will be incorporated within the schedule. Participants should also
  feel free to manage bio breaks and other needs

Learning Objectives:

Through this training, participants will:

1. Review the functions and roles of treatment, the treatment provider, and formal systems in the
   provision of services and supports to teens and their young adults.
2. Review and rehearse developmentally, socially, and culturally-matched models of assessment
   for the earlier and later teen years.
3. Explore and apply Core Principles of Effective Adolescent Treatment© with key strategies for
   implementation and practical application.
4. Consider the differentiated cultural, racial, and intersectional needs and opportunities with
   diverse youth populations, particularly for those marginalized in our communities and systems
   of care.
5. Consider the risks-threats balance when helping to create a sense of safety in working with
   young people.