Enrolling and Engaging High-Risk Youths and Families in Community-Based, Brief Intervention Services

Abstract

Increasing interest has been shown in brief interventions for troubled persons, including those with substance abuse problems. Most of the published literature on this topic has focused on adults, and on the efficacy of these interventions. Few of these studies have examined the critical issues of enrollment and engagement in brief intervention services. The present article seeks to address the shortcomings in the current literature by reporting on our experiences implementing National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded brief intervention projects involving truant and diversion program youths.

KEYWORDS:

• brief intervention enrollment
• enrolling at-risk youth
• intervention engagement
• youth-family service engagement

Acknowledgments

Preparation of this manuscript was supported by NIDA Grant # R01-DA-021561, Richard Dembo PI, and NIDA Grant # R21 DA020542, Ken C. Winters PI. The authors are grateful for NIDA's support. However, the research results reported and the views expressed in this paper do not necessarily imply any policy or research endorsement by the funding agency.

Notes

Note: Δ indicates issues encountered in the Brief Intervention Truancy project and Brief Intervention Court project.

Note: Δ indicates issues encountered in the Brief Intervention Truancy project and Brief Intervention Court project.