Workshops & Trainings

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Adolescents with Chemical Dependency &
Mental Illness: Addressing Complexities of Dual Diagnosis
Understanding the dynamic nature of adolescent brain development and the link between substance abuse and mental illness in teens requires a paradigm shift in addressing the needs of a young person with a dual diagnosis.  Traditional confrontational treatment programs with shame based attitudes towards substance use fail to explore the underlying causes and challenges faced by youth with co-occurring chemical dependency and mental illness.  One-size fits all treatment ignores the complexities of the neurological changes that are taking place and the clues that teens give as to their reason for choosing to self medicate.  This workshop explores the link between the choice of substance and the type of mental health problem facing the adolescent. The participants will examine several examples of co-occurring disorders, each with different mental health problems and different drug of choice to discuss the need for integrated holistic individualized treatment plans.  The dangers of long term substance abuse on the developing adolescent and the need for mental health care to prevent relapse into further self-medicating will be shown.  The presenter will propose paradigm shift from punishment towards a recovery based juvenile justice system with intensive treatment for co-occurring disorders.

Thursday, July 30, 2009
12:30-3:30 p.m.
Kroening Interpretive Center
4900 Mississippi Ct., Minneapolis, MN 55430

Thursday, August 20, 2009
12:30-3:30 p.m.
Lakeview Social Hall, Coppertop Church
First United Methodist Church
230 Skyline Parkway, Duluth, MN 55811

Presented by: Deborah Cavitt, MS Human Services, Minnesota Certified Teacher, Deborah Cavitt is a project coordinator for Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health.  She works with schools, children, parents, & professionals to educate and advocate for increased understanding and reduced stigma related to children’s mental health disorders.  As a teacher, she taught for over 20 years, primarily on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Minnesota.  She also worked as a substance abuse prevention specialist in Iowa, where she started a countywide SAFE coalition through the Iowa Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy and a SAMHSA’s Drug Free Communities grant.  She has a Master’s Degree in Human Service with a specialization in addiction counseling studies.

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