Asking the Hard Questions: How to Effectively Assess for and Provide Brief Interventions for Substance Use/Abuse, Risky Behaviors, and Mental Health Concerns in Adolescents

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Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants should be able to:

• Practice basic screening procedures for sensitive topics such as alcohol/drug use, intimate partner violence, suicidal ideation/mental health concerns and sexual behaviors.

• Identify factors that affect the reliability and validity of patient self-report when asked about sensitive topics

• Identify and practice specific communication techniques that increase the reliability and validity of patient self-report.

• Identify basic interventions for youth’s health-related social problems.

• Describe the importance of confidentiality when working with adolescents and young adult patients