in Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence
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New York Institute for Psychotherapy Training in Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence |
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NYIPT TODAY Fall 2008 Volume 6, Number 1
NYIPT Gets Grant From New Yorkers For Children Tracy Simon, Psy.D and Bill Salton, Ph.D NYIPT’s Partnership Continues With ACS and Project Stay
In December of 2007, Drs. William Salton, Tracy Simon and Phyllis Cohen completed the development of a Training Curriculum entitled Understanding and Working with Teen Runaways. This curriculum addresses the training needs of those who work with Teen Runaways in Project Stay at the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) in New York City. The curriculum will be taught in a series of six training modules. It is the result of a grant issued to NYIPT by the New Yorkers for Children Foundation.
Each year many of New York City’s teens who are in foster care end up on the streets after running away from their foster homes. They are sometimes referred to as “AWOL” or “throwaway youth” - terms that indicate how difficult they are to reach. Our curriculum is designed to help those working with teen runaways increase their understanding, empathy and clinical skills when working with these youth. This six-module training program offers a comprehensive look at the hearts, minds and behaviors of teen runaways.
Participants in the program will gain a greater understanding of the reasons teens run, where they run and what risks they face. We examine teenage developmental struggles, as well as the impact of trauma on teens and the ways it is manifested in common teenage disorders. Helpful clinical and behavioral interventions are included to increase competence for the ACS workers. We expect that, by the end of the program, trainees will have developed the tools needed to protect the safety and wellbeing of the teens who runaway from foster care, in accordance with the mandate at ACS.
In the first training module, the specific types of runaway populations are explored, along with the major risk factors that lead to running away, such as sexual abuse, violence, drugs and alcohol, neglect, school, step-parents/alternative families, sexual orientation and teen pregnancy. Exploring teens’ histories and environmental experiences will help workers gain a greater understanding of the circumstances that lead up to and sustain running away behavior.
The second module examines the impact and risks of running away. We provide an in-depth exploration of life on the streets and its effects, such as malnutrition, psychological disorders, HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, drug and alcohol abuse, robbery, crime, sexual and physical assault, and prostitution. We aim to increase workers’ understanding of the problems teens face, and the bind for youth who experience trauma in their placement homes and feel compelled to leave, or are attracted to the lure of their perceived “freedom” on the streets.
In Module III we review normal adolescent development and problems that many of our youth experience. We discuss the primary stages and tasks of teen development to increase understanding of the physical, cognitive and psychological challenges facing adolescents. The impact of trauma on healthy teenage development, and the emotional and psychological consequences as seen in common disorders of adolescence and typical behavioral patterns are also examined.
Module IV is designed to help workers gain a greater understanding of common teen disorders that may be an outcome of trauma. We look at the ways these disorders are manifest; both psychologically and behaviorally, while also examining both healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms commonly used by teenagers.
In Module V, we turn our attention to the needs of caregivers - both parents and caseworkers - as well as the various pitfalls to anticipate while working with runaway youth.
And finally, in Module VI, we apply a comprehensive awareness of teen runaways as we provide the ACS workers the opportunity to practice interventions and develop clinical skills they can use to more effectively engage teen runaways. Interactive exercises are offered to participants throughout the training program to enhance the participants’ development of casework skills.
NYIPT looks forward to our continued partnership with ACS using our new curriculum.
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