Course Summary
About one in five adolescents have a current, diagnosed mental or behavioral health condition in the United States. According to the National Survey of Children's Health (2024), "Between 2016 and 2023, the prevalence of diagnosed mental or behavioral health conditions among adolescents increased 35 percent (from 12.0% to 20.3%)."
This course is about considerations for caregivers and their role in supporting their children throughout the process of receiving psychosocial care for mental or behavioral health conditions. It highlights emotional parenting actions and their alternative counterpart called effective parenting actions. Finally, it offers an overview of motivational interviewing.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify emotional parenting actions that may contribute to mental or behavioral health outcomes in children and youth.
- Identify effective parenting actions that have shown effectiveness in reducing symptoms or improving outcomes for children and youth with mental or behavioral health needs.
- Summarize motivational interviewing and why it is a recommended communication strategy to engage caregivers in conversations about their child’s mental or behavioral health needs.
Learning Audience
The learners for this training are behavioral health service providers, social workers, counselors, peer support specialists, and other professionals who support individuals with substance use and behavioral health conditions.
American Psychological Association Continuing Education (APA CE) Credits
This course is eligible for Continued Education Units (CEU) upon completion, which are awarded as follows:
- 1 APA CEU credit awarded per (1) hour of completed learning
The University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry maintains responsivity for this program and its content.
Questions about APA CE credits?
Course Duration
Content Contributors
- Lauren Henry, PhD, Child Psychologist, Children’s Hospital Colorado
