By Benjamin Chambers, November 19 2010
Helping Teens in Recovery Starts with a Simple Phone Call. The Science and Management of Addictions (SAMA) Foundation in Seattle is piloting a mentor-by-phone program that now supports 50 teens in recovery after completing substance abuse treatment. The pilot program, "The Recover2gether Project," offers weekly phone calls to teens and two other services. It's funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). - Also For Teens in Recovery: "Laughter Yoga." The idea is that laughter -- even fake laughter -- changes your breathing and mood in positive ways. Follow the link to watch teens in a sober high school in Oklahoma trying it out on video. (Hat tip to the Association of Recovery Schools.)
- The November 2010 issue of the Office of Justice Program's (OJP) Justice Resource Update is a goldmine of info:
- New OJP Website Promoting Evidence-Based Practices. Evidently, OJP will be launching a website in mid-2011 to support the adoption of evidence-based practices. The agency says that when it launches, "practitioners and policymakers will have a single, credible source for evidence-based information on policies, programs, and practices across the fields of criminal justice, juvenile justice, and victim services." (Related Post: Here's a post with handy recommendations for incorporating evidence-based practices in juvenile drug courts.)
- Strategies for Creating Offender Reentry Programs in Indian Country. New publication on re-integrating incarcerated youth and adults into tribal communities.
- December 2010 National Conference: Bureau of Justice Assistance. Called, "Advancing Justice through Evidence and Innovation," the conference will be held December 6-8 in D.C. The hotel's full, but you can still register - and it's free.
- Another December 2010 Conference: Interdepartmental Tribal Justice, Safety, and Wellness Session. Hosted by the Department of Justice in Palm Springs, California on December 7-8. You can still register -- and it's free, too.
- Gangs Using Social Media to Track Down Enemies, and More. It's not surprising, but it's saddening to hear that gang members follow each other on Twitter to gain information about rivals' whereabouts and activities.
- Using Social Media to Promote Adolescent Health. In an article published in the July/August 2010 issue of the North Carolina Medical Journal, "To Friend or Not to Friend," Kristin E. Ito, M.D., M.P.H.; Jane D. Brown, Ph.D., explore ways that social media tools like Facebook and text messaging have been used to support healthy teen behavior. (Hat tip to Paul Savery.)
- California Expands Teens' Right to Consent to Mental Health Treatment. A new law allows teens 12 and older to enter mental health treatment -- if a professional says they're mature enough. Previously, teens had this right only if they were a danger to themselves or others (or had been a victim of child abuse); the change makes it possible for them to access care before they're in danger.
- Three New Resources on Systems of Care in the Juvenile Justice System. The Council of State Governments' Consensus Project has just made available three new publications:
- "Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Youth in Contact With the Juvenile Justice System in System of Care Communities";
- "Successfully Collaborating With the Juvenile Justice System: Benefits, Challenges, and Key Strategies"; and
- "Systems of Care Programs That Serve Youth Involved With the Juvenile Justice System: Funding and Sustainability".
- Curriculum for Empowering Young Men of Color. Youth Communication has produced Real Men: Urban Teens Write about How to be a Man -- real stories by real young men about how their struggles to overcome challenges to success at home and at work. You have to pay for it, but it might be useful for the classroom.
Topics: Adolescent Mental Health, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment, Evidence-Based Practices, No bio box
Updated: February 08 2018