Marijuana use and abuse rates decline among US teens

By: Sam Levin, The Guardian  Rates  of adolescent marijuana use and abuse have declined across the US, according to an unprecedented study that casts doubts on one of the central arguments against legalizing weed. Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis surveyed 216,852 teenagers from all 50 states and found that […]

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The Addict and the Enabler

Written By: Laura Cole, ACS Clinical Intern, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Community Counseling Programs ACS’ Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program depends on the participation of not only the teen struggling with substance abuse, but the family or guardian as well.  Addiction affects the entire family, and each family member has a personal responsibility to the […]

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LGBTQ Youth Health: What to Talk About During Pride Month

By Justin Toro and Donna Futterman, M.D., US News Health  June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning – or LGBTQ – Pride Month. For many, it’s the colorful and provocative gay pride parades that define the occasion, but beyond the glitter lies a much deeper meaning. LGBTQ Pride acknowledges this community’s violent struggle, pays homage […]

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Substance Use Among Teens Is Never Benign

By: Kathleen Meyers, Ph.D., YouthToday.org Kathleen Meyers, Ph.D., is a senior investigator with the Treatment Research Institute and a recognized leader in the assessment and treatment of adolescent substance use disorders, delinquency and co-morbidity. Meyers is the author of the Comprehensive Adolescent Severity Inventory, a multidimensional assessment instrument for youth with co-morbidity, which is widely […]

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Oppositional Defiance Disorder: A Breakdown

Written By: Alex Basche, ACS Clinical Intern, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment & Community Counseling Programs   Through my work in ACS’ Substance Abuse Treatment program, it is not uncommon to see co-occurring behavioral disorders in youth struggling with substance abuse. Anxiety, mood and behavioral disorders top the list of the most common adolescent mental health diagnoses, so […]

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Praise Goes A Long Way

Written By: Christine Miller, ACS Clinical Intern, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Community Counseling Programs Too often teens feel like they are constantly being told “No” by their parents, teachers, coaches, or other adults, and that they do not hear “Great Job!” enough. Being a teen is hard enough. But, being a teen that has […]

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Trust: A Two-Way Street

Written By: Laura Cole, ACS Clinical Intern, Community Counseling and Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Programs In relationships trust is an essential component.  But, what is this sometimes seemingly “intangible” thing we call trust among parents and teens?  How is it built and maintained on this two-way street?  How does one repair when a breach occurs? […]

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Wellness Focused for Teens

Written By: Kyle Yamasaki, MFT, ACS Site Supervisor Wellness has been around for millennia, but it feels like a refreshing approach to helping teens with social-emotional problems in our schools.  As the site supervisor for ACS at Redwood Continuation High School (RHS) in the Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD), I can share some of […]

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A Conversation With Your Teens

Written By:  Monica Ippolito, ACS Clinical Intern, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Community Counseling Programs If any parents of teenagers happen to be of Generation X, then you can reminisce with me about the cartoons we grew up watching. Cartoons like G.I. Joe, She-Ra, He-Man, The Care Bears, The Smurfs, and Inspector Gadget all had […]

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Resilience – How to Help Our Teens Stay Strong

Written By: Charlotte Villemoes, ACS Site Supervisor, On-Campus Counseling Program I have the privilege and the pleasure of listening to teens every day. They tell me stories about their lives, stories that often move and inspire me. Many of them describe hardship that seems close to unbearable, yet the vast majority somehow perseveres and moves forward. […]

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