Adolescent Substance abuse

Adolescent substance use remains a pressing public health concern, with evolving patterns of common substances, and high rates of co-occurring mental health issues. Drug overdose in adolescence is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths. Nurse practitioners play a critical role in preventing morbidity and mortality associated with substance use. Early identification in primary care is critical to reduce harms and improve developmental trajectories. This presentation equips nurse practitioners with concise, evidence-informed skills to address adolescent substance use in primary care, risk factors, interpreting validated behavioral health screening tools, indications for medication-assisted or specialty referrals, and crisis safety planning.

*Due to rapidly changing clinical knowledge, once purchased, you have 90 days access to complete this education.

Credits: 1.0 Contact Hours; 1.0 are Pharmacology
This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid from 9/23/2026 to 12/22/2026 . PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
Expiration Date: December 31, 2026

$30

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After taking part in this educational activity, participants should be better able to:

-Identify and select appropriate behavioral health screening tools for substance use in primary care and interpret their results.

-Describe common substances used by adolescents and recognize associated behavioral, cognitive, and developmental changes.

-Explain evidence-based treatment options for adolescents, coordination of supportive resources, and individualized care plans.

CE/CME INFORMATION

Obtain Your Credits

To earn credits for this activity, navigate to the Content(s) tab and complete all course components in the following order: 1) watch the course presentation video; 2) complete the course evaluation; 3) pass the post-test with a score of 2/3 (66.7%) or higher. You may retake the post-test until a passing score is achieved, at which point you will be able to view/print a copy of your certificate of completion. This online certificate will also be saved within your profile 'My Courses/Certificates' -> 'Transcript/Certificates Earned'  for future access.

Designation Statement

NPACE designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 contact hours, of which 1.0 is pharmacology credit. Participants should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity has been reviewed by the American Academy of Physician Associates Review Panel and is compliant with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid from 9/23/2026 to 12/22/2026. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Accreditation Statement

Nurse Practitioner Associates for Continuing Education is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

DISCLOSURES

Faculty

Contributing faculty, Kamila Barnes DNP, FNP-C, FADLN, FNYAM has disclosed no relevant financial relationship. 

Planners

All planners and contributors involved in this educational activity have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. 

Disclaimer

The material presented in this continuing education program is being made available for educational purposes only and is not intended to represent the best or only methods, medications and/or guidelines appropriate for the medical situation discussed. Rather the material is intended to present an approach, view, statement, or opinion of the presenter(s), which may be helpful, or of interest to other practitioners and should not be used by clinicians without the evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. NPACE disclaims any liability, loss, injury, or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any information given in a presentation.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may mention the uses of products that are not approved by the FDA for the indication(s) being discussed. The presenter(s) are instructed to notify participants when they are discussing unapproved uses or investigational agents. The opinions related to unapproved uses of products are solely those of the presenter(s) and are not endorsed or recommended by NPACE. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Commercial Support

There is no commercial support for this activity.