There is a significant need for prevention specialists to increase awareness of co-occurring conditions among youth. Co-occurring conditions, viewed here as a continuum that span significant psychosocial problems (or risk factors) to clinical-level behavioral disorders, are the rule rather than the exception among youth. Prevention programs can directly or indirectly address co-occurring conditions by virtue of reducing risk factors, increasing assets, enhancing problem-solving skills, and supporting values and beliefs that promote health. The presenter will provide foundational knowledge regarding the (1) prevalence of adolescent co-occurring conditions, and (2) possible reasons for the strong link between substance use and co-occurring behavioral health conditions. The presenter will conclude with a focus on how universal and selective prevention programs are relevant in addressing co-occurring conditions.
Presenter
Ken C. Winters, Ph.D. is a Senior Scientist at the Oregon Research Institute (MN location) and a Consultant for the Native Center for Behavioral Health at the University of Iowa. He previously was a Professor at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Psychiatry, where he founded and directed the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research for 25 years. Dr. Winters has received numerous research grants to address adolescent behavioral health from the National Institute of Health and various foundations during a 35-year period. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and other works.