Moderator: Tom Valentino, Senior Editor, Addiction Professional and Behavioral Healthcare Executive

CE Certified by: AMA, ANCC, APA

The effects of familial substance use disorder (SUD) are best understood within the context of a dynamic biopsychsocial model that is developmental in nature. Such a model helps to highlight the interaction of factors that can affect cognitive, social emotional and behavioral outcomes for children at various stages of development and their families. When these are better understood, effective supportive, prevention and intervention practices can be implemented. However, it is not necessary to invent new services when many current services can be adapted to better assist these families.

This presentation will focus on presenting original and published research on the types of effects that have been documented for children from families where substance use disorder is present, including school, community and family-based interventions that are effective and evidence based. Presenters will place specific emphasis on understanding how missed intervention opportunities contribute to cognitive emotional and behavioral issues before and at school entry, as well as the types of interventions that are effective in addressing these issues and supporting the family structure.

UPON COMPLETION OF THIS COURSE, PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
- Recognize the interactive nature of factors that place children from homes affected by SUD at risk for poor academic and developmental outcomes at different points in development.
- Describe school-based interventions that have been shown to be effective with the specific behaviors that most often present at school age.
- Explain the importance of utilizing existing evidence-based practices rather than reinventing the wheel each time a new substance epidemic occurs.
- Distinguish the role of the family, the importance of family therapy, and opportunities for intervention within a family system that occur at different points in time.