Crisis management is an essential skill for mental health providers. This is especially true for the youth in the juvenile justice system, since the prevalence of mental disorders is estimated to be as high as 60%, with a 3 to 4 times higher risk of suicide than peers not involved in the justice system. As a general therapeutic framework, DBT addresses maladaptive behaviors by teaching emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, core mindfulness, and self-management skills. This session will explain how dialectical behavior therapy can be used as a culturally relevant evidence-based intervention to address crises within juvenile detention.

Educational Objectives

• Describe the main components of dialectical behavior therapy
• Explain how dialectical behavior therapy addresses crisis behaviors
• Identify specific dialectical behavior therapy strategies that can be used within crisis management

Level Intermediate