The Impact of Parental Substance Abuse on Children and Teens

Dr. Laura Anderson

Training Description

In the mental health field, we are tasked with having difficult conversations with kids and teens.   Some of the hardest conversations to have with kids are the ones about why their parents’ behaviors are unpredictable or why they are foster care, why they can’t be with their first families, and if and when they will go home.  Many children and teens are involved in the child welfare system because (at least partially) of parental substance use.   On the one hand, it is hard to make specific statements about how parental substance abuse impacts kids and teens. At the same time, there is data that suggests children are negatively impacted by growing up in homes where one or more parent abuses substances. This training will explore the ways that parental substance abuse affects attachment styles in children, as well emotional and behavioral functioning.   We will also offer participants insight into how to talk to children about parent substance abuse. Finally we will discuss ways to help youth be resilient when parental substance abuse is impacting their family and their lives.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will list 3 ways that parental substance abuse impacts developing brains,  child attachment patterns, and child behaviors
• Participants will practice concrete scripts for talking to children and teens about their parents’ substance use in healing ways
• Participants will list 3 specific strategies they can do in their professional roles to for building resilience in children coping with parental substance abuse

Agenda

8:45      Sign In  

9:00-9:45      A review of the ways that parental substance abuse impacts neurology, attachment, and behavior  

9:45-10:45   Participants will practice concrete scripts for talking to children and teens about their parents’ substance use in healing ways

10:45-11:00  Break (CEUs will not be issued for this time)  

11: 00-11:45    In depth case examples exploring treatment planning and application of strategies1

2:00- 12:45    Focus to help participants  lay out specific strategies they can use in their roles at work building resilience and coping strategies for children with substance abusing parents1

2:45-100  Summary  

1:00  Adjournment

Meet Our Trainer

Dr. Laura S. Anderson is a clinical child and family psychologist who is licensed in Hawaii and California, and she has worked with youth and families for over twenty years.  Dr. Anderson is currently based primarily in Oakland.  Her areas of expertise include school-based behavioral health, assessment, support for adoptive families, support for gender expansive youth and their families, foster care consultation, and the provision of cross-culturally sensitive care. She is lucky to have had wonderful clinical mentors and enjoys teaching others things she has learned “in the trenches” of direct service to children, adolescents, families, schools, and various other agencies.  Dr. Anderson enjoys working with kids, families, and systems as they overcome barriers, build on their strengths, and thrive.

This course meets the qualifications for (3.75) BBS CEUs for LCSWs and MFTs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.