About this webinar
Date: July 8, 2026
Time: 1 to 4 p.m. ET
Facilitator: Leora Rich, MSW, RSW
CE hours: 3
This training is suitable for:
- Mental Health Professionals: psychotherapists, counsellors, psychologists, social workers
- Medical Professionals: nurses, psychiatrists, pediatricians, family doctors
- Direct Service Workers: drop-in workers, shelter and hostel workers, child and youth workers, youth justice workers
Level of training: Introductory
Client age category: For professionals who work with clients aged 12 to adulthood
Trigger warning: Content will be delivered through a trauma-informed lens. While some content may be triggering, we will inform participants of the content and encourage self-care throughout the presentation as needed.
Description: Substance use poses multifaceted challenges and often co-exists with experiences of trauma. Did you know:
- Young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group.
- People with a mental illness diagnosis/psychiatric diagnosis are twice as likely to have a substance use disorder compared to the general population. At least 20% of people with a mental illness diagnosis/psychiatric diagnosis have a co-occurring substance use disorder.
(Source: CAMH - Mental Illness and Addiction: Facts and Statistics)
This training will focus on supporting youth clients who have experienced trauma and substance use, emphasizing a compassionate approach. We will begin by reviewing foundational information on substance use, including key terminology, understanding internal biases and reviewing different drug classifications. Participants will explore the principles of harm reduction and trauma-informed care for youth clients who use substances. This training combines theory, frameworks, therapeutic techniques, and practical applications to effectively work with clients.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the risks and reasons why individuals use substances.
- Explore the connection between managing trauma symptoms and substance use.
- Build introductory knowledge of the impact of trauma on the body.
- Learn trauma-informed application of harm reduction principles.
- Build knowledge of terminology, types of substances, risks, and vulnerabilities for developing challenges with substance use.
Continuing Education (CE) Information: SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health Learning Institute is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) to offer continuing education (CE) hours. Full-day programs equal six CE hours; half-day programs equal three CE hours; for less than half-day programs, one hour of programming equals one CE hour. SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health Learning Institute maintains responsibility for the programs.
Other licensing boards and professional organizations will grant continuing education credits for attendance at their own discretion; participants will need to submit the course outline and Certificate of Participation for their consideration.
Registration closes
If registration has closed and you're still interested in joining this course, please contact Mary Anne at mvanrooyen@sickkidscmhlearning.ca
Accessibility
We strive to ensure our online learning programs are easy for everyone, everywhere. If you have any accessibility requirements (automatic transcripts, closed-captioning, ASL interpreters, advanced access to program materials), please email Mary Anne Van Rooyen at mvanrooyen@sickkidscmhlearning.ca to let us know how we can best support your learning experience.
Photography is being used for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted in the content is a model, except where indicated.