identifying early warning signs
IDENTIFYING EARLY WARNING SIGNS: Addressing youth substance use
Youth are especially vulnerable to developing substance use disorders, which carry the potential for life-altering consequences. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s strategy focuses on screening and early intervention.
Many factors influence whether a young person tries alcohol or other drugs. M E N TA L H E A LT H Depression, anxiety, ADHD AVA I L A B I L I T Y Access to alcohol or drugs in school, neighborhood, community, family
AT T I T U D E Belief that substance use is harmless, or will help youth fit in or feel better
PERSONALITY Poor impulse control, high need for excitement
PEERS
TRAUMA Substance use among friends
Violence, physical/sexual abuse, other distress
Young people who use alcohol or other drugs before age 15 are five times more likely to develop a substance use disorder. S TA G E S O F D E V E L O P M E N T
YYOOUUNNGG LTSS AADDUULT
TTEEEENNSS CCHHIILLDDRREENN Early trauma trauma and and Early stress causes causes lasting lasting stress harm.Substance Substance harm. misuse inin aa child’s child’s misuse home isis the the most most home common cause—it cause— it common affects about about one one inin affects four households. households. four
This group group has has This the highest highest rate rate the injury and and death death ofof injury from substance substance from use.Of Of those those ages ages use. 18 toto 25, 25,almost almost 18 19% have have use use 19% disorders,compared compared disorders, 7% ofof adults adults age age toto 7% 26 oror older. older. 26
This period period ofof This growth also aa growth isis also time of risk-taking time of risk-taking and experimentation. experimentation. and More than 90% 90% ofof More than adults with addiction adults with addiction developed the developed the problem between between problem the ages 12 and and 20. 20. the ages 12
Teen years: The critical time of vulnerability
Prevention and early intervention can help limit experimentation and reduce risky behavior before repeated use poses serious social and health problems. A range of influences affect development and resilience, making it hard to predict who will develop substance use disorders. Changes in behavior can provide opportunities to intervene.
DUI DUI Unsafe Sex Sex Unsafe
EXPERIMENTATIO
Loss of of Loss Interest Interest
N
Impaired Impaired Memory Memory
School School Problems Problems
Relationship Relationship Problems Problems Overdose Overdose Death Death
REPEATED USE
Screening and early intervention: A practical, proven approach Adolescent substance use must be identified and addressed early.
This screening reveals any alcohol or drug use, and a response is tailored to the situation.
A qualified medical, school, or other youth professional talks with the young person and asks questions.
AASSSSEESSSS se aanndd rriisk sk uuse
NNOONNEE
MODERATE MODERATE
HHIIGGHH
ADVISE t o a vo i d , st o p, o r r e d u c e su b st a nc e use a n d o t h e r r i sk y b e h a vi o r s ( r e se a r c h-ba se d i n f o r ma t i o n i s u se d a t t h i s sta ge )
AFFIRM d e c i si o n t o n o t u se
E N G A G E in c o n ve r sa t i o n t o mo t i va t e p o si t i ve c h a n g e
R E F E R to tr e a tm e nt
Advancing the approach: Our strategic initiative The Hilton Foundation partners with healthcare and other professional associations, educators, advocacy organizations, and others to advance screening and early intervention.
Goals Ensure health health and and other other Ensure youth providers providers have have youth knowledge and and skills skills knowledge for screening screening and and early early for intervention services services intervention
Improve funding funding Improve for, access access to, to, and and for, implementation of of implementation screening and and early early screening intervention services services intervention
Conduct research research Conduct and advance advance and learning to to improve improve learning screening and and early early screening intervention practices practices intervention
Youth are especially vulnerable to developing substance use disorders, which carry the potential for life-altering consequences. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s strategy focuses on screening and early intervention.
Many factors influence whether a young person tries alcohol or other drugs. M E N TA L H E A LT H Depression, anxiety, ADHD AVA I L A B I L I T Y Access to alcohol or drugs in school, neighborhood, community, family
AT T I T U D E Belief that substance use is harmless, or will help youth fit in or feel better
PERSONALITY Poor impulse control, high need for excitement
PEERS
TRAUMA Substance use among friends
Violence, physical/sexual abuse, other distress
Young people who use alcohol or other drugs before age 15 are five times more likely to develop a substance use disorder. S TA G E S O F D E V E L O P M E N T
YYOOUUNNGG LTSS AADDUULT
TTEEEENNSS CCHHIILLDDRREENN Early trauma trauma and and Early stress causes causes lasting lasting stress harm.Substance Substance harm. misuse inin aa child’s child’s misuse home isis the the most most home common cause—it cause— it common affects about about one one inin affects four households. households. four
This group group has has This the highest highest rate rate the injury and and death death ofof injury from substance substance from use.Of Of those those ages ages use. 18 toto 25, 25,almost almost 18 19% have have use use 19% disorders,compared compared disorders, 7% ofof adults adults age age toto 7% 26 oror older. older. 26
This period period ofof This growth also aa growth isis also time of risk-taking time of risk-taking and experimentation. experimentation. and More than 90% 90% ofof More than adults with addiction adults with addiction developed the developed the problem between between problem the ages 12 and and 20. 20. the ages 12
Teen years: The critical time of vulnerability
Prevention and early intervention can help limit experimentation and reduce risky behavior before repeated use poses serious social and health problems. A range of influences affect development and resilience, making it hard to predict who will develop substance use disorders. Changes in behavior can provide opportunities to intervene.
DUI DUI Unsafe Sex Sex Unsafe
EXPERIMENTATIO
Loss of of Loss Interest Interest
N
Impaired Impaired Memory Memory
School School Problems Problems
Relationship Relationship Problems Problems Overdose Overdose Death Death
REPEATED USE
Screening and early intervention: A practical, proven approach Adolescent substance use must be identified and addressed early.
This screening reveals any alcohol or drug use, and a response is tailored to the situation.
A qualified medical, school, or other youth professional talks with the young person and asks questions.
AASSSSEESSSS se aanndd rriisk sk uuse
NNOONNEE
MODERATE MODERATE
HHIIGGHH
ADVISE t o a vo i d , st o p, o r r e d u c e su b st a nc e use a n d o t h e r r i sk y b e h a vi o r s ( r e se a r c h-ba se d i n f o r ma t i o n i s u se d a t t h i s sta ge )
AFFIRM d e c i si o n t o n o t u se
E N G A G E in c o n ve r sa t i o n t o mo t i va t e p o si t i ve c h a n g e
R E F E R to tr e a tm e nt
Advancing the approach: Our strategic initiative The Hilton Foundation partners with healthcare and other professional associations, educators, advocacy organizations, and others to advance screening and early intervention.
Goals Ensure health health and and other other Ensure youth providers providers have have youth knowledge and and skills skills knowledge for screening screening and and early early for intervention services services intervention
Improve funding funding Improve for, access access to, to, and and for, implementation of of implementation screening and and early early screening intervention services services intervention
Conduct research research Conduct and advance advance and learning to to improve improve learning screening and and early early screening intervention practices practices intervention
