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Funded by Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, SAMHSA

Welcome to Addiction Exchange, a forum for the exchange of clinical practice and research information among clinicians, scientists, educators, and administrators in the field of addiction. The number of adolescents using or abusing drugs and alcohol continues to present challenges for those treating and/or working with this population, including professionals in the juvenile criminal justice system.

Today’s topic, written by guest contributor Malcolm King of the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), addresses a collaborative effort by DJJ and the Mid-Atlantic ATTC, the Department’s cross-training program for professionals working with substance abusing juvenile offenders.

Empowering staff to provide substance abuse services for the juvenile justice population requires that agencies offer effective training opportunities. Service providers must be able to meet the evolving needs of substance-abusing juveniles and their families, and treatment staff must be aware of any new regulations and court mandates that affect treatment policies and procedures. It is essential that not only treatment staff, but security staff as well - including juvenile probation officers and other personnel who are responsible for providing services to this population - be cross-trained in the three basic competencies of alcohol and drug intervention, juvenile justice, and multicultural counseling. The training must be ongoing and should include both entry level and advanced level content.
The Department of Juvenile Justice and the Mid-Atlantic Addiction Technology Transfer Center (Mid-ATTC) collaborated to respond to the substance abuse training needs of probation officers and other selected personnel through development and delivery of a comprehensive training program. The program was designed to meet the initial and continuing educational requirements as described by the Virginia Board of Professional Counselors for Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) status. Participation in the program was mandatory for officers who were responsible for conducting substance abuse screening and assessments of selected juveniles and who were not also Certified Substance Abuse Counselors. Local court service unit administrators approved a maximum of two participants, and the Department’s substance abuse unit reviewed each participant’s previous education and training experience. This review assisted in determining the extent to which each participant needed to be involved in the initiative. The training took place in Richmond at the Department’s training facility, and the Substance Abuse Services Unit paid all participant expenses, including resource materials, meals, lodging, and travel expenditures.
The training program was spread over a six-month period (May 2000-November 2000), with training conducted one week a month for up to 40 hours, resulting in over 220 total clock hours of classroom work. The curriculum was designed to reflect a full overview of primary substance abuse topics (the 12 Core Functions), as well as supportive topics including confidentiality, HIV, and multicultural issues. The training was conducted by a combination of DJJ staff and trainers selected by the Mid-ATTC. All the instructors involved in this initiative were licensed professionals and/or certified substance abuse service providers and trainers. The maximum capacity of 25 participants allowed for a combination of lecture and experiential learning.
Twenty-three probation officers completed the training. Each officer is now involved in an internship and clinical supervision with a Board-approved clinical supervisor. The internship has been designed to integrate the officer’s job duties with the required contact hours in conducting selected substance abuse tasks.
The Department of Juvenile Justice has strongly endorsed this collaborative effort. Another training series is being offered for staff providing similar services for juveniles that are housed in the Juvenile Correctional Facilities. This initiative has greatly enhanced the professional practices of Department of Juvenile Justice staff that provide substance abuse services, and the substance abuse service delivery system has been upgraded tremendously. DJJ will continue to communicate with the Mid-ATTC in order to provide quality entry level and advanced substance abuse training for all direct care staff.

Go to http://www.mid-attc.org/wwwboard/wwwboard.shtml to discuss this topic on the Addiction Exchange Forum.

We hope you find Addiction Exchange useful in your work. Please let us know about your information needs by emailing the editor of Addiction Exchange at mid-attc@mindspring.com, or discuss your training needs by contacting us by email or telephone at (804)-828-9910. Visit the Mid-ATTC website at http://www.mid-attc.org.

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Mid-Atlantic Addiction Technology Transfer Center
Funded by Center for Substance Abuse Treatment of
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
mid-attc@mindspring.com
http://www.mid-attc.org
804-828-9910