The Alcohol and Other Substance Use Disorders Curriculum for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Practitioners, Residents and Other Health Professionals is an 11-lecture online curriculum created by, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), Task Force on Strategic Planning and Substance Abuse Education and Research. The goal of the curriculum is to increase the number of physicians treating children and adolescents who are able to diagnose and treat alcohol and other substance use related illnesses; and to improve the understanding of the causes and effects of alcohol and other substance use related illnesses. Each lecture consists of the latest knowledge on substance dependence, diagnosis, and treatment presented by experts in the field of adolescent substance use disorders. Each individual that completes the program is provided the opportunity to obtain continuing medical education credit.

This educational activity is designed for residents and physicians treating pediatric population with the potential for substance use disorders.

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

• Identify similarities and differences between adolescents and adults with substance use disorders.
• Recognize the developmental risk factors and bidirectional impact of co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders, as well as identify evidence-based treatment for adolescent substance use disorder, conduct disorder, ADHD, depression and anxiety disorders.
• Understand the empirical bases for behavioral family therapies and be familiar with the MST and FBT models and their respective clinical approaches to treating adolescent substance abuse.
• Describe the symptoms, assessment, and treatment strategies for adolescent nicotine addiction.
• Identify family based strategies and procedures to reduce risk of adolescent substance use intake and enhance the substance use resistance skills of their patients.