Parent Engagement Training Program

The Effective Parent & Child Engagement training program is a comprehensive intervention/prevention training series designed to reduce and/or prevent school truancy, drug abuse and other habits that may lead to youth delinquency or incarceration. This training series empowers parents to become meaningfully engaged in the lives of their children as a result of them attending the following training track comprised of four (4) consecutive, two (2) hour training sessions:

Sessions:

(1) Communication

Talking to or Talking With – This session explores communication pitfalls while equipping the parent and child with techniques and strategies for effective communication. Both are engaged in classroom activities and are given take home assignments that promote skill application in the home. The process and value of both talking and listening are techniques emphasized in this session.

(2) Effective Parenting

This session primarily focuses on parenting styles; understanding the concept of effective parenting and what that looks like in everyday life. The full range of effective parenting qualities are explored from love and nurturing, support, setting limits, role modeling, showing respect, through and including a range of experiences. This is a very interactive session that incorporates role playing as a teaching tool along with in class and home activities. Parents and their children identify the parenting styles currently used in their households; determining whether that style is working and how to adjust their parenting styles to become more effective parents.

(3) Effective Advocacy

This session involves teaching parents to be effective and appropriate advocates for their children at schools, in the legal system and their communities. Parents are taught that advocacy begins with them. Basic advocacy skills are taught from the standpoint of guaranteed rights through and including the steps of advocating (approaching the right person, identifying needs, potential solutions, etc.). Both parents and students are introduced to the notions of “chain of command” and protocol. The trainer refers to the school district’s student code of conduct manual as a part of the training materials in this session and also makes certain that all individuals are familiar with their school’s Board of Trustee members and their functions. Parents have an in class assignment called an “Advocacy Plan” that requires them to apply the skills learned in this session and previous sessions. Both trainer and parents keep a copy for follow-up.

(4) Parental Involvement: Parents Being Present

This is the final session with a focus on the value of parents being involved in their children’s lives. The underlying goal of this session is to ignite an interest and commitment to be involved. The typical reasons for disengagement and in-involvement are discussed (feeling marginalized, not knowing “how” to enter into conversations & activities that make a difference in school, etc.) to facilitate parents openly identifying and understanding their previous lack of involvement. Levels of engagement are discussed and strategies for becoming involved are presented to both parents and their students. We help both parents and students recognize their niche and embrace it as their pathway to involvement in the schools, at home and communities. In class activities engage both parents and students.

Throughout the entire four (4) week training period, students are engaged in a series of activities designed to enhance, promote or encourage educational attainment, goal setting, life and academic skills development and leadership.

The Effective Parent & Child Engagement training program is another Center initiative to prevent and reduce juvenile crime and delinquency among youths in the State of Texas. This training is available upon request. Please contact Grady M. Paris, J.D. at (936) 261-5211 or gmparis@pvamu.edu for further details.

Training Programs: Substance Use, Misuse, and Use Disorders and Mental Health First Aid

Since 2016, more than 2,200 adults have participated in the Substance Use, Misuse, and Use Disorders, and Mental Health First Aid training workshops. These training programs are available upon request in face-to-face and zoom (virtual) formats. In addition, several of the ‘Basic (Core)’ workshops will soon be available in a self-paced, online format!

Basic (Core) Modules providing entry-level understanding of addiction

  • Core 1: Addiction: How Attitudes and Beliefs Drive Behavior
  • Core 2: Understanding the Science of Addiction
  • Core 3: Influencing Choices: Reducing Risk and Increasing Protective Factors
  • Core 4: Reducing Risk: Understanding and Combating Teen Stress
  • Core 5: Co-Occurring Disorders: When Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders Collide
  • Core 6: From Discipline to Rehabilitation: Barriers to and Solutions for Change
  • Core 7: Community Capacity: Developing the Tools for Change (Face-to-Face only)

Drug-Specific (DS) Modules (More advanced workshops about specific drugs of use)

  • Drug-Specific Module 1: What Your Teen Doesn’t Know: Marijuana and Synthetic Cannabinoids
  • Drug-Specific Module 2: What Your Teen Doesn’t Know: Stimulants and Synthetic Cathinones
  • Drug-Specific Module 3: Tobacco and e-Cigarettes: Vaping Is Not the Solution to Dependence
  • Drug-Specific Module 4: Opioids, Prescription Drugs: Rising Concerns Among Adolescents
  • Drug-Specific Module 5: Under-age Drinking: Culture, Peer Pressure, Beliefs, and the Teen Brain

Youth Mental Health First Aid Responder (YMHFA) Training

Youth Mental Health First Aid Responder training is a globally recognized, evidence-based and trauma-informed workshop that provides participants with essential tools to respond to mental health and substance use crises among adolescents (age 12-17yrs). YMHFA is available in two formats:

  • Face-to-face format
    • 8-hour, one-day training
    • Maximum class capacity is 20 participants
    • Location: To be determined by the hiring agency
    • Cost: $30.00 per person
  • Virtual, Zoom format
    • 2-hour self-paced training
    • 5-hour virtual training with the instructor
    • Maximum class capacity is 10 participants
    • Location: Online
    • Dates to be determined by hiring agency
    • Cost: $25.00 per person

Please contact  Rebecca Ramirez-Barnes at (936) 261-5202 or reramirezbarnes@pvamu.edu  for additional information about any of the above workshops or to schedule a workshop for yourself, your department, or your agency.