This interactive training prepares peers/professionals to implement developmentally appropriate, educational support programming for children impacted by a parent or caregiver with a substance use disorder (SUD). Participants will explore the foundational principles of NACoA’s Children’s Program Kit and gain practical tools to create safe, strength-based, trauma-informed group environments that promote resilience and interrupt intergenerational patterns of addiction.

Trainings Objectives:

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the impact of substance use disorder on children and family systems, including the emotional, behavioral, developmental, and relational effects.

2. Identify common survival roles children may adopt in families impacted by SUD (e.g., hero, scapegoat, lost child, mascot, caregiver/parentified child) and understand how these adaptive strategies can influence long-term wellbeing.

3. Articulate the rationale for providing educational support groups for children, grounded in research on resilience, protective factors, and early intervention.

4. Describe why every addiction treatment provider should incorporate programming for children and families, recognizing children as integral members of the recovery ecosystem and key stakeholders in long-term family healing.

5. Apply implementation guidelines from NACoA’s Children’s Program Kit, including group structure, facilitator considerations, cultural responsiveness, and developmentally appropriate delivery.

6. Integrate trauma-informed and stigma-reducing language practices in alignment with national best practices, including person-first language as outlined in the Shatterproof Addiction Language Guide.

7. Design programming that addresses seven core topic area

• Understanding the addiction
• Identifying and expressing feelings
• Developing healthy coping skills
• Strengthening problem-solving abilities
• Understanding treatment and recovery
• Identifying safe and supportive people
• Processing grief and ambiguous loss

​​​​​​​8. Incorporate evaluation and outcome measurement strategies to ensure program effectiveness, continuous improvement, and sustainability.

9. Develop strategies to interrupt intergenerational cycles of addiction, strengthening protective factors and promoting long-term family resilience.

CEUs through NAADAC will be awarded upon completion.

Trainings Available:

September 30 – October 1

Two consecutive six hour training days: 9 am – 12 pm and 1 pm – 4 pm ET

Cost of the training:

$850 training for those with a Children’s Program Kit purchased in 2020 or more recently
$1350 training and two year subscription to curriculum
$1575 training and the print version of the curriculum

Price does not include curriculum, which will be needed throughout the training.

Contact PMcGillicuddy [at] nacoa [dot] org (Children’s Program Director Peggy McGillicuddy MEd, CTSS )with any questions.