This is a low intensity psycho-educational group directed primarily at juvenile court-referred adolescents who are abusing cannabis (marijuana).  It is intended to run for 5 weeks total, one (1) hour length session per week.  This group will begin in the 3rd Quarter, SFY 2007

The group is non-confrontational, low stress in design to engage participants in positive behavior change.  The presenter is very good at engaging noncompliant and difficult clients, and past participants feel that his style makes them feel positive about their ability to change for the better.

Sessions have been designed around information that clients need to know or understand about their lives to live without relying on alcohol and or drugs - these areas have been identified in the literature and include: (a) changing friends and activities, (b) developing drug and alcohol free activities and hobbies, (c) learning to manage anger and other negative feelings appropriately, and (d) learning to communicate in an effective manner.

Delivery Strategy:
The client is required to attend and participate for 5 consecutive weekly sessions, and to take an Attitude and Behavior pretest/posttest, and a Readiness – To – Change pretest/posttest (posttests completed at exit).

The 5 sessions cover dynamics of cannabis and alcohol/other drug use, as well as usage impact upon aspects of daily living, allowing the client to focus on his/her life and what changes will assist him/her to no longer use alcohol or drugs.

Clients will also be asked to complete a Client Satisfaction - Exit Survey at discharge from the group. 

Participants will be engaged initially in the group process and some may voluntarily pursue individual counseling after the group concludes. (Typically, participants will originally enter the group due to external motivation [court referred] with little/no intention of voluntarily engaging in individual counseling.)

The majority of adolescents completing this group are expected to show improvements in both attitude and behavior.

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