The Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA)- Exposure Training

The Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA)- An Evidence-Based Practice for Youth with Substance Use Disorders

The Children’s Behavioral Health Knowledge Center at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Abuse Services is sponsoring a free training to introduce behavioral health providers to the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA). A-CRA is an evidence based practice that offers developmentally appropriate, strengths based, cognitive behavioral procedures to treat young people with substance use disorders. A-CRA includes individual, parent/caregiver only and family sessions.

This training will provide an overview of the background, research and philosophy of the A-CRA model. Attendees will also learn about the A-CRA certification requirements and how to become an A-CRA service provider.

Goal: To provide behavioral health providers information on the A-CRA treatment model and the A-CRA certification requirements.

Training objectives:

1. List the philosophy and procedures of the A-CRA treatment model.
2. Observe a demonstration of the Functional Analysis of Substance Using Behavior procedure.
3. Describe the A-CRA Certification requirements and process.

Audience: Agency administrators who are interested in learning more about the A-CRA model and how to become an A-CRA service provider. Community-based behavioral health providers who work with adolescents who have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders are also invited to attend