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Kern County Superintendent of Schools is offering a professional learning opportunity on Brief Intervention for Adolescents Using Substances (BI). Funding has been designated to attend curriculum trainings that support efforts of the grant objectives.  Brief Intervention is a behavioral counseling intervention program for adolescents who use alcohol and/or other drugs. The program consists of 2 to 4 brief counseling sessions between a BI facilitator and a youth. Brief Intervention utilizes motivational interviewing techniques, cognitive behavior therapy, and the stages of change model to meet the needs of adolescents. It is designed for paraprofessionals in school and community settings. The Brief Intervention counseling sessions target three objectives:

1. The adolescent will learn to take a more active and reflective role in decisions about their own behavior.
2. The adolescent will receive personalized assistance in weighing the personal costs and benefits associated with their use.
3. The adolescent will be supported in developing a plan to help make those decisions they see as beneficial.