Now is the Time 2018 Regional Trainings

Overview

These two-day highly interactive workshop explored the critical developmental tasks of emerging adulthood (approximately ages 18-24), emotional and psychological difficulties associated with these tasks, and developmentally informed approaches to planning and providing care to this population. A care planning framework was presented in relation to which participants can plug in and organize their current care planning and care delivery tasks. The aim was to both validate and enhance participants’ care planning and delivery work, as well as offer some new care planning practices. The schedule from the workshops can be found here.

Based on neuroscience, three care planning and delivery principles are explained, which are: 1) ensure recovery; 2) foster change; and 3) activate growth. These three principles are embedded in a three-tiered care planning framework which consists of an integrative approach that combines three types of care or case plan goals, as opposed to the typical singular focus on behavior change or improvement. These three goal are: 1) recovery goals essential for healing from effects of harmful experiences and maintaining healthy self-regulation; 2) change goals essential for adjusting thinking, attitude, and behavior and maintaining healthy self-concept; and 3) growth goals essential for thriving, resiliency, and self-actualization and maintaining healthy self-efficacy.

Approach

The session used a sequence of short lectures followed by group exercises and games that guide participants in planning care strategies appropriate for their work settings. Based on work related to a case study approach within groups, at the end of the session participants walk away with a generic care plan with care strategies that they have developed based on their own and/or their group’s resources. The strategies are organized as a three-tiered hierarchy in which delivery of care can be involve “stages of care,” when appropriate, as follows: 

§  Tier/Stage One: Strategies for Fostering Healthy Self-Regulation (Recovery Goals)

§  Tier/Stage Two: Strategies for Fostering Healthy Self-Concept (Intentional Change Goals) 

§  Tier/Stage Three: Strategies for Fostering Healthy Self-Efficacy (Growth Goals)

Perspective   

The workshop brings an outcome-focused perspective. This means that while the typical perspective of alleviating symptoms or reducing specific problem behaviors/actions is included (e.g., improving functioning), attention is also given to developmental outcomes, or growth. Ways of measuring improvement in growth and well-being are presented and implications for care provision practices are explored (e.g., a period of follow-up in order to assess well-being, including the consumer in goal-setting, engaging the consumer’s natural supports to support continued healing, change, and growth).

The two outcome categories are: 1) reductions in languishing, which encompasses more familiar perspectives that emphasize reducing or alleviating pathologies (e.g., depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, obsessive compulsive, etc.); and 2) increases in thriving, which includes engaging in one’s world in ways that include caring, confidence, character, connection, competence, and contributing. 

Target Audience

This workshop was relevant to practitioners responsible for planning and providing care to emerging adults as well as young and older adults. These stages of adulthood are examined in light of the whole lifespan. Concepts and tools are applicable to out-patient care, office-based counseling, residential care settings and care provision to individuals through, support groups and drop-in center arrangements. A special emphasis is placed on the effects of trauma exposure and utilization of trauma-sensitive approaches. Practitioners responsible for developing written care plans will find the workshop’s care planning framework to be a useful resource for organizing assessment and other information into care plan goals, strategies, outcomes, and monitoring processes. 

Learning Objectives

1.    Understand the critical developmental tasks of emerging adulthood and the effects of related difficulties on well-being.

2.    Understand the four brains (primitive, emotional, thinking, and executive), how they develop and operate in a hierarchical manner as a single system, and the brain’s role in recovery, intentional change, and growth.

3.    Understand the immediate and lasting impacts of adverse, traumatic experiences on brain development and functioning and their effects on regulatory processes.

4.    Understand three types of care strategies essential for fostering recovery of regulatory processes and well-being.

5.    Understand the basic steps involved in developing effective plans of care that support recovery from emotional and psychological difficulties as well as growth.

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Performance Objectives

1.    Recognize nature of the harm or setback experienced by an emerging adult and how such harm dysregulates physiological, emotional, psychological, and spiritual functioning.

2.    Plan and carry out care strategies that foster recovery from or effective management of dysregulated physiological, emotional, psychological, and spiritual functioning.

3.    Interpret problem, unhealthy, or complex behavior in light of brain development and functioning and the effects on both of trauma exposure.

4.    Specify as part of one’s care plan outcomes that are indicative of restored or recovered healthy self-regulation, self-concept, and self-efficacy so that wellness and growth can be documented.

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This program was approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval #886783937-3276) for 13 continuing education contact hours.

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To have received CE credit for the Now is the Time 2018 regional trainings, participants must have been in attendance for the full two days. Partial CE credit was not awarded.

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Funding for these trainings was made possible by NITT-HT grant, CFDA 93.243 from SAMHSA.  The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Jonathan I. Cloud, planning and management consultant from White Pines Consulting, has thirty years of experience in the human services field, encompassing case management, administration, and program development. His career has included special initiatives in youth outreach, family support, community organizing, child protective services, foster care reform, disproportionate minority contact, juvenile justice systems reform, and youth-focused disaster recovery. Jonathan has provided technical assistance to communities engaged in the Weed & Seed national crime reduction initiative, assisted with a juvenile court improvement project, conducted an in-depth analysis in a county of factors associated with DMC and developed a training for three counties focused on alternatives to suspensions, expulsions, and arrests for low-risk youth of color. Mr. Cloud holds a bachelor's degree in Religion and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Harding University and has done graduate work in Social Work and Public Administration.