How to Prevent Negative Impacts of Cannabis on System Involved Youth

Robert Dousa

Training Description

One of the most significant challenges for those supporting system involved youth is to effectively engage them in building constructive, transformational behaviors that are sustainable and lead to healthy community engagement and improved outcomes when they are using cannabis for self-medication. In this training, we will explore how to enhance our capacity to support system involved youth by examining Strengths-Based Thriving Engagement Practices (especially designed for substance using TAY youth). These can help prepare us to foster alliance and promote emotional development, well-being, resilience, and the ability to heal from traumatic events so that system involved youth who are using cannabis can more easily lead a meaningful life. Additionally, we will explore how Thriving Engagement Planning can enhance our approach. Practicing and sharing the methods outlined by this workshop will allow us to improve the practice of how we empower system-involved youth and families.

Learning Objectives

● Participants will be able to identify at least 2 characteristics of problematic Cannabis use that hinder system-involved youth from being successful in life.

● Participants will be able to identify at least 2 Strengths-Based Thriving Engagement Strategies that redirect the energies of system-involved youth away from using Cannabis for self-medication.

● Participants will acquire at least 2 Strengths-Based Practices and 2 Thriving Engagement Strategies designed for system-involved youth who use cannabis.

Agenda

1:00-1:10pm  Sign-in and Introduction

1:10-1:30pm  Unpacking THC: Learn characteristics of problematic cannabis use that hinder system-involved youth from being successful in life.

1:30-1:55pm  Examine and Practice Strengths-Based Motivational Interviewing Practices that redirect the energies of system-involved youth away from using cannabis for self-medication while fostering protective factors.

1:55-2:20pm  Learn and Practice Thriving Engagement Strategies for system-involved youth who use cannabis towards improved outcomes through fostering their resilience and helping them heal from traumatic events.

2:20-2:50pm  Develop “Thriving Engagement Plans” for system involved youth while roleplaying with colleagues that work to redirect the system-involved youth energy towards healthy behavioral change.

2:50-3:00pm  Wrap Up & Closing

Meet Our Trainer

Mr. Robert Dousa is the founding Managing General Partner of Independent Strengths Building Consulting. This business includes: Individual Anger Management & Addictive Behavior Recovery Coaching, Conducting training of: Situational Leadership/Strengths-Based Life Skills Coaching, Brief Intervention & Motivational Interviewing, Drug, Anger Management, & Family interventions, Neuroscience-Based Leadership & Rapport Building, & Organizational Prevention Strategy Consultation, & Mandated Reporter Training for CA. Mr. Robert Dousa's has retired from the Marin County Office of Education Safe Schools Department and is now providing individual life coaching, intervention coach training, and consulting to those supporting system involved youth. Prior to retirement, he developed the majority of his practice from his work as the Program Manager for the Oakland Unified School District’s Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs Intervention program from 2005 to 2021. Prior to that, he served as a substance abuse counselor in school districts in Alameda County, CA from 2000 to 2005.

This course meets the qualifications for (2) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.