Medicating Our Troubled Youth: When is Enough Too Much?
Dr. Robert Foltz will provide an overview of the current trends of medicating our troubled youth with diagnoses such as ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive conditions. Discussion will include how this intervention strategy impacts strength-based approaches. Concerns with the increasing use of psychotropic medications will be explored.
Understanding effective treatment interventions for severely troubled youth is a complicated task. We know that these you can maximize their treatment outcomes through the use of effective supportive and therapeutic relationships. Moreover, we know that family involvement is particularly important for good outcomes for you experiencing emotional and behavioral troubles. But our current emphasis in care focuses on the use of psychiatric medications as a frontline treatment for most conditions now for children and teenagers.
The use of psychiatric medications in the treatment of troubled youth has skyrocketed in recent years. There are more children & teens on psychiatric meds than ever before. We would like to believe that the use of these medications is firmly based in scientifically rigorous research. But in the treatment of youth, this research is sorely lacking. Despite the many unanswered questions about how to use these medications effectively and safely in youth, we are seeing exponential rises in their use, and we’re seeing them used in younger and younger children.
You may the familiar with the different classes of psychiatric medications such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, stimulants, and mood stabilizers. But how do we know when these medications should be used? Many youth are prescribed multiple medications at the same time, but what is the evidence-base for this practice?
This webinar will examine the above questions and also consider how you actually feel about being on their medications. Material in this presentation will include results from the recent Adolescent Subjective Experience of Treatment study that is currently being conducted by Dr. Robert Foltz. In this study, more than 80 years have been interviewed about their experience of receiving residential treatment. As part of this interview, youth have been surveyed about their experience of being medicated.
Within this webinar, it is also hope that discussion will include ways to maximize treatment outcomes through a greater understanding the limitations of psychiatric medications. Far too often we have expectations for treatment that exceed what has been established in research. As a result, when youth continue to have symptoms despite their compliance with treatment, we often assume that the youth is too ‘disturbed’ rather than acknowledging it may be a failing of the treatment instead of the child. There will also be time for questions and answers within the webinar in an effort to meet the learning needs of those attending.
About Dr. Robert Foltz
Dr. Robert Foltz, Psy.D., is an Associate Professor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, in the Clinical Doctoral Program, within the Child and Adolescent Track. His areas of expertise include psychopathology, the integration of psychopharmacology and psychosocial interventions, and evidence-based programming for troubled youth. He also maintains a private practice in the Chicago area, working primarily with youth suffering from emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Dr. Foltz is a licensed clinical psychologist and has over 20 years of experience working with severely troubled youth. His professional experiences include both administrative and clinical responsibilities in the delivery of care to troubled youth. For many years, Dr. Foltz has studied the benefits and drawbacks of psychotropic medication with children and adolescents, and how these treatments integrate with psychosocial approaches. He also serves as a member of the Advisory Board for the American Association of Children’s Residential Centers (AACRC) and other professional boards examining the effectiveness of care delivered to troubled and troubling youth.
Watch a 2-minute video of Dr. Foltz discussing his upcoming webinar.
Webinar Details
When: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 from 10-11 a.m. Pacific Time.
If you are unable to attend the live recording, you will be sent a link to the recording that you can watch on demand after the event.
Where: Anywhere in the world! Join Dr. Foltz from your computer or mobile device.
Format: This will be an audio broadcast with power point/slides. A video feed of the presenter will also be included.
Cost: $50 USD per person ($40 each for groups of 5 or more).
Group access pass - $250 for an unlimited number of participants in your organization on one screen. Note: Anyone wishing to received CEUs or a certificate of participation must register and pay individually ($50 each or $40 each for groups of 5 or more).
CEUs: One contact hour is available for the live recording only. No additional fee for individuals who are registered, but must indicate desire to obtain CEUs in writing and complete all requirements. Registrants may choose to receive a certificate of participation to use as proof of professional development for their licensing bodies (live or recorded version). For more details visit our webinar CEU info page.
