43rd Annual Addictions Ontario Conference Sue Kennedy, Executive Director

1. Partnerships at Work: Collaboration between Alternatives for Youth and the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board 43rd Annual Addictions Ontario Conference Sue Kennedy, Executive Director AY/Alternatives for Youth David Hoy, Manager of Social Work Hamilton Wentworth District School Board Monday May 30st, 2011

2. This presentation will share: • The innovative work happening within Hamilton within the context of secondary school students who are substance involved • How we are conducting systems planning and community development work • The model of collaboration between Alternatives for Youth and the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board

3. History • For the past 20 years Addiction Counsellors from AY have been providing substance abuse counselling on-site at the HWDSB. Historically AY and HWDSB have had a longstanding ad-hoc partnership • AY decided to embrace the Best Practice of providing service to youth where youth are and expanded its service across 10 secondary schools across our region • Most recently HWDSB and AY formalized the partnership and author a Third Party Agreement

4. History continued… • In 2008, the Student Support Leadership Initiative was implemented with the aim of • improving integrated services for students with mental health and substance use concerns • increasing local capacity to support students • support system planning at the local level • HWDSB and AY were well positioned to be active participants in the initiative

5. Partnership Philosophy • A partnership is a mutually beneficial, reciprocal supportive arrangement between a school or school board and a community service provider • Partnerships are the relationships that add human or material resources through services/supports that ultimately lead to improved student learning

6. Philosophy Continued • Through partnerships we seek to improve school programs, school climate as well as providing services to our families and students • Ultimately, well functioning, healthy individuals are able to make contributions to the betterment of our community

7. Terms of PartnershipHWDSB • Refer students to the Alternatives for Youth counsellor who may benefit from drug counselling as per Alternatives for Youth referral protocol • Provide consultation to Alternatives for Youth counsellors and work collaboratively with Alternatives for Youth counsellors to support student needs

8. Terms of Partnership cont’dHWDSB • Coordinate training opportunities for Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board staff by Alternatives for Youth counsellors • Collaborate with AY executive staff for the purpose of partnership review , development and evaluation

9. Terms of PartnershipAY: • Provide an Alternatives for Youth counsellor who has expertise in the area of substance abuse assessment, treatment, referral and case management • Provide substance abuse education to students and their families in the context of the school culture

10. Terms of Partnerships cont’dAY: • Provide substance abuse consultation education and support to school • Administrators • Student services educators • Social Workers • Educational assistants • Liaise with other community professionals providing service in the school e.g. PHN

11. Terms of Partnership Cont’d • Provide individualized treatment intervention for those students who are referred as a result of suspension related to substance use • Substance abuse education may also be delivered within the classroom setting upon request and in conjunction with other health prevention professionals(PHN) .

12. Outcomes: • Students will be more informed and better educated about their decision/choice concerning substance use and how such activity may adversely affect educational progress, personal functioning and relationships • Staff will have a better understanding of student substance abuse, recognize indicators of substance misuse and be able to access appropriate support for students through AY

13. Alternatives for Youth • AY Opened its doors in 1969 • Community treatment for children and youth ages 12-23 who are substance involved • Provide assessment, treatment planning, evidence informed interventions, referral and follow-up in a harm reduction framework • Comprehensive psychiatric assessment, consultation, and treatment for youth with concurrent disorders

14. Risk Factors for Adolescent Substance Use • Family History: • Parental drug use • Quality of family relationships, organization and communication • Ineffective parenting or absence of • Intimacy and stability(disengagement/enmeshment)

15. Risk Factors Cont’d • Early Anti-social Behaviour • the greater the variety, frequency and seriousness: the greater the likelihood of drug abuse • e.g. rebelliousness, temperament, social isolation, impulsivity, early learning related difficulties, early onset on drug use

16. Risk Factors cont’d • Peers • Association with drug using peers during adolescence • Perceived use of drugs by other adolescents • Peer influence-the great debate-do friends negatively influence friends or do friends gravitate toward those who share their own values and beliefs

17. Risk Factors cont’d • Attitudes, Beliefs, Personality Traits • Alienation • Rebelliousness • Risk-taking • Non-conformity • Resistance to traditional authority

18. Challenges with student population of drug users • Acute ambivalence toward their own drug use • Influence of significant others in seeking treatment • Understanding use a problem in itself and in context of situational issues • Provocative, challenging and testing behaviours

19. Substance Use Trends in Student Population In the general student population the most frequent substances used continue to be alcohol ,cannabis and tobacco-local public health survey and support provincial averages • 66%use alcohol • 30%use cannabis • 19% use tobacco

20. Student Use of Substances continued-The Rainbow Party • Opioids • Benzodiazepines • Sedatives • Solvents • Cocaine • Hallucinogens • Anabolic Steroids Club Drugs Sedatives GHB Stimulants-amphetamine(speed) Hallucinogenic stimulants MDMA(ecstasy) Dissociative anaesthetics (ketamine, PCP)

21. Substance Use Continuum • AY counsellors support youth across the substance use continuum : • Experimental use: • Irregular use: • Regular use • Dependant use • Harmful Use

22. Interventions that work AY counsellors assess appropriately and tailor intervention accordingly-not a one size fits all. • Early intervention and education • Harm Reduction • Monitoring • Assessment • Treatment

23. Goals: • Enhance motivation for change • Prevent further involvement in substance use • Reverse involvement in substance use • Reduce harm from substance use

24. Youth and Concurrent Disorders • AY counsellors have received referrals for students diagnosed with a mental health disorder who are substance involved: • Five most common are: • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder • Conduct Disorder • Depression and Bipolar • Social Anxiety Disorder • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

25. Concurrent Disorder Intervention • Students who are referred to AY counsellor can support a referral to the AY consulting child and adolescent psychiatrist who will: • Provide a comprehensive psychiatric assessment • Prescribe medications in consultation with GP • Provide direct consultation with student, AY counsellor to make treatment recommendations and implement integrated treatment plan • AY counsellors monitor and support youth

26. Benefits • Timely access to necessary substance abuse and mental health services, • Services provided on-site at school ensuring flexibility and customized treatment options • Students can be empowered to direct their own treatment plan(readiness) • Parents and caregivers of students have increased access to community supports

27. Challenges • Forging relationships between agency counsellors and school educators takes time and commitment • Balancing harm reduction approach within the parameters of safe-schools legislation • Working with diverse staff and individual cultures within each school • Supporting a school climate that the supports the de-stigmatization of mental health and substance abuse.

28. Questions and Answers? Contact Information Sue Kennedy Executive Director, Alternatives for Youth skennedy@ay.on.ca David Hoy, Manager of Social Work Hamilton Wentworth District School Board david.hoy@hwdsb.on.ca