WHAT: Services for Teens At Risk-Center (STAR-Center) conference, which provides an overview of child and adolescent emotional and behavioral problems and advice on how to help.
WHO: Presented by the STAR-Center, a program of Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC, the conference will be attended by clinical and educational personnel, including psychologists, counselors, social workers, Pennsylvania educators and other professionals.
WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday, May 9
WHERE: William Pitt Student Union, University of Pittsburgh, 3959 Fifth Ave., Oakland
WHY: In the morning, two keynote speeches will be given. The first, on treatment-resistant depression, will be presented by David A. Brent, M.D., director of the STAR-Center, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and academic chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. The second, by Mary Margaret Kerr, Ed.D., director of the STAR-Center Outreach and associate professor of psychiatry and education at the University of Pittsburgh, will focus on the role of communication in suicide prevention.
Skill-development workshops, to be held in the afternoon, are aimed at:
- Teaching participants methods of relieving adolescent distress
- Creating parent-friendly communication between adults and their children
- Learning about the concept and dangers of the “choking game”
- Managing medication side effects in teens
- Making accurate diagnoses in childhood psychiatric disorders
- Exploring the common pitfalls and problems in practicing cognitive behavior therapy in teens
- Focusing on effective treatments for depression and anxiety