Development of a brief inpatient curriculum to enhance trainee skills in assessment and treatment of adolescents with substance use and co-occurring mental health problems

Adolescence is a critical period for substance use intervention, yet few youth receive evidence-based treatment for both co-occurring substance use and mental health problems. Gaps in professional training limit adequate assessment and treatment of substance use problems among youth receiving psychiatric treatment. We developed a two-session curriculum, integrated into a child/adolescent psychiatry inpatient rotation, to improve knowledge and skills in evidence-based practices for screening, brief intervention, psychoeducation, and care coordination, among multidisciplinary mental health clinicians. A pre/post survey evaluated perceived helpfulness, confidence in clinical skills, and intentions to engage in evidence-based practices. Trainees perceived the content as helpful and reported significant increases in confidence and intention to engage in the targeted evidence-based practices. Implementation of a brief, focused, skills-based curriculum in clinical settings can effectively introduce trainees to core concepts not currently adequately covered in existing curricula.