Foster Care Training

This workshop is designed to provide information and practical clinical techniques for counselors, therapists, social workers and other clinicians, working with youth who are already involved in or are at high risk for involvement in gangs and the juvenile justice system. Participants will gain concrete interventions using strength-based approaches for counseling and treating adolescents involved in a gang. The training will provide an overview of the multidimensional factors affecting adolescents involved in gangs and the juvenile justice system; including: the varies phases gang involved youth experience from different perspectives (OG’s, youth and family), socio-economics, race, ethnicity, assimilation, acculturation, and trauma. Reformed gang members will also share their experiences around gang involvement. Broader environmental and societal factors that contribute to the experience of high-risk adolescents, systems, policies and laws will also be examined. By the end of this training, participants will be able to identify strength-based approaches for engaging and retaining gang involved and mandated juvenile justice clients in treatment; including the importance of culturally responsive services addressing the diversity of adolescents within the treatment setting.