Substance use among pediatric and adolescent populations continues to present unique challenges for healthcare professionals, youth, and families. This webinar will explore current trends and patterns in youth substance use and their implications for prevention, early intervention, and care.
Participants will gain practical guidance on using SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) to identify potential substance use concerns and confidently engage young patients in meaningful conversations. The session will also address strategies for involving youth and families in the SBIRT process and identifying appropriate next steps for prevention, intervention, and ongoing management of substance use.
Dr. Sukhmeet Sandhu
Dr. Sukhie Sandhu is an assistant professor at University of Colorado’s School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry. She is board-certified in internal and addiction medicine physician, with a clinical and academic focus on adolescent substance use. After completing her internal medicine residency at Boston Medical Center, she practiced as a primary care physician in Philadelphia, where she witnessed firsthand the barriers youth and families face in accessing substance use treatment. She subsequently pursued fellowship training in addiction medicine and adolescent medicine at the University of Colorado. Dr. Sandhu now serves as an addiction medicine physician at the Pediatric Mental Health Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where she works to integrate evidence-based substance use care into a pediatric healthcare system.