Substance use and mental health: Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ youth

Substance use and mental health: Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ youth

User profile image SickKids CCMH Learning Institute - EENet Yoda Master

Event date: -

Event location: Online

Event Link: https://cvent.me/359RPD

Event type: Single day (a day or less)

Webinar details: January 29, 2025 | Time: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET

Facilitators: Leora Rich, MSW, RSW, and Natalie Kalb, PhD., C.Psych.

This training is suitable for:
Mental Health Professionals: psychotherapists, counsellors, psychologists, social workers

Medical Professionals: nurses, psychiatrists, pediatricians, family doctors

Direct Service Workers: drop-in workers, shelter and hostel workers, child and youth workers, youth justice workers 

Educators: Teachers, ECE, school administration, support staff

Level of training: Introductory

Client age category: For professionals who work with clients aged 12 to adulthood.

Trigger warning: Content will be delivered through a trauma-informed lens. While some content may be triggering, we will inform participants of the content and encourage self-care throughout the presentation as needed.

Description: This training will offer foundational insights into the experiences of substance use and mental health challenges among 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and communities. 

Participants will delve into the reasons why 2SLGBTQIA+  people use substances, enhancing their understanding to better facilitate engagement and interventions. The training will present opportunities to learn new engagement strategies and clinical approaches, expanding participants' comprehension of the relationship between substance use and gender/sexual identity. This will equip service providers with the skills necessary to effectively engage and support 2SLGBTQIA+  youth in managing substance use and mental health challenges.

The primary objective of the session is to help participants identify and understand the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. It will start with an overview of common terminology and definitions related to sexual orientation and gender identity, ensuring participants build the foundational knowledge needed to support 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and young adults. 

The prevalence of mental health challenges within 2SLGBTQIA+ communities will be discussed, with a focus on the impact of factors such as internalized homophobia, familial rejection, discrimination, and systemic oppression. Using an intersectional framework and an anti-oppressive, anti-colonial lens, the session will pay special attention to the unique needs and challenges faced by racialized 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. 

Finally, the session will assist participants in developing 2SLGBTQIA+ affirming care practices, including direct interventions, rapport building, engagement strategies, and family education.

Learning objectives:

  • Develop foundational knowledge related to 2SLGBTQIA+  terminology and definitions.
  • Understand the proximal and distal factors that contribute to mental health challenges among 2SLGBTQIA+  youth.
  • Identify the systemic oppressive factors that impact 2SLGBTQIA+  youth, with particular emphasis on the needs of transgender youth.
  • Develop skills and interventions to provide 2SLGBTQIA+  affirming care.

 

Registration fees: General $150 | Student $ 135

Learn more and register at: https://cvent.me/359RPD