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Evaluation ViewAttendees 23

Adolescent Medicine

Advocacy

Community Pediatrics

General Pediatrics

Medical Education

Mental Health

Public Health

Tobacco Prevention

Trainee
Session Type: Workshop

Preventing Substance Use and Substance-related Harms Among Adolescents

Sunday, April 27, 2025
2:00pm – 3:30pm HST
Location: Convention Center: 304
CE: 1.5

Disclosure(s):
Alexis Ball, MD MPP: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Samara R. Jinks-Chang, MD, MPH, MS: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Kym Ahrens, MD, MPH: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Scott E. Hadland, MD, MPH, MS, FAAP: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Leslie R. Walker-Harding, MD: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Chris Buresh, MD, MPH, DTM&H: Gilead Life Sciences (Ongoing) (Products/Services: Research Support including clinical trials & the principal or named investigator)
Addy Adwell, BSN: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Workshop Description: The US faces an ongoing overdose crisis characterized by an alarming rise in overdose-related deaths and increasing substance-related morbidity among youth. Adolescents are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of substance use (SU) and are increasingly at risk for overdose even with first-time use, due to the growing availability of highly potent substances, such as fentanyl and high potency THC. This ever-evolving landscape highlights the urgent need for targeted prevention efforts, improved access to evidence-based interventions, and harm reduction strategies to protect youth from the consequences of SU and overdose. Pediatricians are well-positioned to affect change, but often do not receive robust education regarding SU, addiction, and strategies to mitigate substance-related harms.

This interactive workshop will provide clinicians with evidence-based strategies for preventing adolescent SU and minimizing substance-related harms. Through a mix of didactic presentations, group discussions, and role-playing exercises, participants will gain practical tools to support youth make healthy choices. The workshop will focus on: 1) Engaging caregivers in conversations around SU 2) Equipping clinicians to screen for and address SU in their practice, and 3) Identifying and implementing strategies to reduce harms from SU. Each component of the workshop will begin with a brief didactic exploring the current trends and evidence, followed by break-out sessions where participants will work through real-world scenarios and practice communication techniques to address adolescent SU. Participants will leave the workshop with a greater understanding of how to prevent SU among adolescents, as well as strategies to address use in their daily clinical practice.

Learning Objectives:

  • Utilize approaches to communicate with parents/caregivers around youth substance use
  • Recognize the pediatrician’s role in substance use screening, prevention and how to respond to positive substance use screens
  • Employ strategies to reduce harms from adolescent substance use