Assignment

  
Week 9 6446 
Sex, Sexuality, and Substance Abuse 
Readings 
· Boyatzis, C. J., & Junn, E. N. (2016). Annual editions: Child growth and development (22nd ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. 
o Bering, J. “Is your child gay?” (pp. 75) 
· Getz, L. (2013). Relational resilience in treating adolescent substance use. Social Work Today. Retrieved
from http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/012113p36.shtml 
· Harris, N., Brazeau, J. N., Rawana, E. P., Brownlee, K., & Klein, R. (2017). Self-Perceived Strengths Among Adolescents With and Without Substance Abuse Problems. Journal of Drug Issues, 47(2), 277-288. 
· Mallon, G. (2011). The home study assessment process for gay, lesbian, and transgender prospective foster and adoptive families. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 7, 9-29. 
· Reeves, T., Horne, S. G., Rostosky, S. S., Riggle, E. D. B., Baggett, L. R., & Aycock, R. A. (2010). Family members’ support for GLBT issues: The role of family adaptability and cohesion. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 6(1), 80–97. 
· Ryan, C., Russell, S. T., Huebner, D., Diaz, R., & Sanchez, J. (2010). Family acceptance in adolescence and the health of LGBT young adults. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 23(4), 205–213. 
· Piehler, T. F., & Winters, K. C. (2017). Decision-making style and response to parental involvement in brief interventions for adolescent substance use. Journal of Family Psychology, 31(3), 336-346. 
· Document: DSM-5 Bridge Document: Sex, Sexuality, and Substance Abuse (PDF) 
· Castellanos-Ryan, N., O’Leary-Barrett, M., & Conrod, P. J. (2013). Substance-use in childhood and adolescence: A brief overview of developmental processes and their clinical implications. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 22(1), 41–46. 
· Document: Child and Adolescent Counseling Cases: Sex, Sexuality, and Substance Abuse (PDF) 
· Document: Treatment Plan Template (Word Document) 
Discussion: Sex, Sexuality, Sexual Identity, and Values
In 2011, 47% of high school students had sexual intercourse, and 15% of them reported having more than four partners. In 2009, an estimated 8,300 young people ages 13–24 were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS (CDC, 2013). More than 1 in 4 teens who give birth are ages 15–17 (CDC, 2014). In 2005, 1 in 4 sexually active teens contracted a sexually transmitted disease, 29% of teens felt pressure to have sex, and 1 in 10 high school students reported having been forced to have sex (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005). New studies are being developed to estimate current levels of sexual activity in adolescents. There are some indications that adolescents are waiting longer to have sex; by age 19, seven out of 10 adolescents have had sexual intercourse (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
Sex is a prevalent issue among teens today, and many young people struggle with the vast issues that can evolve around sex. Clinicians must be familiar with the current trends and issues related to adolescent sexual behavior and must be able to address them effectively. In addition to sexual activity, sexual identity can be an issue among children and adolescents.
For this Discussion, review the case studies located in this week’s resources and select one case study from Case 1 and Case 2. Consider how the values of sex, sexuality, and sexual identity can adversely affect the child or adolescent in the case study.
With these thoughts in mind Substance use is another common problem among many adolescents. An important consideration is severity of use—mild, moderate, or severe—which helps clinicians distinguish reductions or increases in frequency of use, as well as potential physiological impacts. For example, an adolescent might drink alcohol every weekend to the point of intoxication but not become chemically dependent. An adolescent who is using heroin on a daily basis is likely to develop a physiological dependency on the drug, and to require detoxification as part of the treatment process. Treatment for any level of severity can be a long process, and there are several things to consider. First, treatments must be individualized to meet the needs of the child or adolescent. Second, treatment needs to be accessible and address an array of issues beyond just the substance abuse. For example, an adolescent trauma survivor might be using substances as a coping mechanism. In order to maintain sobriety, the trauma issues must be addressed. Third, clinicians must continually monitor and update treatment plans, monitor for changes in substance use frequency and amount, and facilitate both individual and group counseling. Fourth, a child or adolescent must stay in treatment for an extended period of time, whether it is outpatient or inpatient. Treating substance use takes time, particularly if the child or adolescent does not believe he or she has a problem. Finally, substance use treatment should include monitoring of medical conditions such as infectious diseases, as many adolescents tend to become promiscuous when using substances. Keep in mind that recovery from substance use is a lifelong process. Relapse rates are very high for adolescents, and it is important to encourage them to engage in a lifelong commitment of sobriety. For this Assignment, select one of the substance use case studies (Case Study 3 or Case Study 4) located in this week’s resources. Consider a treatment plan, including a diagnosis, intervention, and prevention technique for the child or adolescent. Think about how you might include the parents/guardians in the treatment plan.

The Assignment:
· Select one substance use case study (Case Study 3 or Case Study 4).
· Complete the Treatment Plan Guidelines template provided in this week’s required resources based on the case that you selected.
completed Template as your Assignment.