Supporting System Involved Youth who Exhibit Challenging Behaviors

Pamela Parkinson, Ph.D., LCSW

Training Description

Learn what a system involved youth’s challenging behaviors are attempting to communicate! While it is necessary to understand the function of the child's behaviors (since it is a communication to us), we also need to understandwhat this means in the context of the family relationships. This understanding will allow us to better support those that attempt to help our system involved youth to be successful. You do not have to be a clinician to attend since this is a training for anyone who supports youth who have challenging behaviors!

Obtain an overview of the important ingredients in creating a plan to support youth and the function of the behavior that the youth is attempting to communicate. Learn what these behaviors mean in the context of relationships so that we can better support those that attempt to help system involved youth be successful in school, maintain a placement, be reunited with family, etc. Learn to apply theoretical principles shown to be effective, avoiding power struggles, and the basics of developing an effective plan.

Learning Objectives

• Ability to understand the functionof the child's behaviors from a behavioral perspective and from a Pain in the Heart (PITH) perspective that takes into account the family relationships & what this child being served in our continuum of care is trying to accomplish systemically within the family.
• Be able to identify what those who support youth need in order to better support their kids and how to develop effective behavior plans with the family and school.
• Will be able to construct an effective case plan utilizing the 4 essential ingredientsof a proactive plan AND of a negative consequence.

Agenda 

10:00AM – 10:15AM Sign In

10:15AM – 11:45AM Section I:  The relationship between family dynamics and youth symptoms/behaviors.

11:45AM – 12:00PM BREAK (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

12:00PM –  1:00PM Section II:  Power struggles and behavior theory

1:00PM – 1:30PM LUNCH (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

1:30PM – 2:00PM Section III: Culture and parenting!

2:00PM – 3:00PM Small group practice to develop case plans

3:00PM – 3:15PM BREAK (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

3:15PM – 4:15PM Reviews of some things that do not work and Questions and Answers

4:15PM – 4:30PM ADJOURNMENT

Meet Our Trainer

Pamela Parkinson, PhD, LCSW, is a clinical psychologist and clinical social worker, whose specialty area is working with youth and their families who are receiving services in our continuums of care. Dr. Parkinson’s emphasis is on the importance of family engagement and the healing traumatic attachment ruptures. Pamela is also a certified PCOMS evidence-based practice trainer. She currently works as a child/family consultant and trainer to CBO’s in the Bay Area and Pamela has worked in level 14 residential, NPS, hospitals, and a variety of community-based settings including outpatient clinics, schools, diversion, kinship, etc.

This course meets the qualifications for (5.5) BBS CEUs 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.