GAIN Related Workgroups

Chestnut Health Systems (CHS) supports efforts aimed at the development and dissemination of materials, presentations, and workshops addressing substance use, effective treatment, and recovery from substance use disorders among adolescents from diverse backgrounds and targeted populations. Several workgroups are currently in operation to further the knowledge base and treatment effectiveness of these special populations. To support their efforts, most workgroups use data collected from thousands of adolescents using the GAIN. Members might be independent licensed users of the GAIN, others are supported by grants from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), and some have arisen from sessions of the Joint Meeting on Adolescent Treatment Effectiveness (JMATE) conference. Some members are independent professionals in the field who may not use the GAIN, but who share a common interest and desire to contribute to the ongoing discussion and work. Listed below are a number of workgroups that currently or have recently operated as well as proposed workgroups that are targeted around specific populations. For further information, please contact the persons indicated at the end of each workgroup description.

CHS is actively working with an independent workgroup to respond to issues and questions specific to substance use and treatment among African-American adolescents as well as to submit workshop and speaker proposals for the next Joint Meeting on Adolescent Treatment Effectiveness (JMATE) meeting. Future efforts are focused on additional national presentations, symposia, and papers related to African-American adolescent substance use, treatment, and recovery efforts.

During the past two years the Hispanic workgroup has focused the majority of its time on translating the GAIN into Spanish. Besides completing the translation of all GAIN instruments, the group has developed training materials for the Spanish GAIN and made several symposia and poster presentations on the instrument at national conferences. Recent efforts have shifted focus into the wider arena of substance use in the Hispanic adolescent population.

CHS supports efforts aimed at the development and dissemination of materials, presentations, and workshops addressing substance use, treatment, and healing among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents. Past efforts by the AI/AN workgroup have successfully produced several national presentations, symposia, and a supplemental AI/AN assessment. Future plans thus far include scheduling Native-led workshops at the next JMATE meeting. Any additional AI/AN workgroup efforts are currently on hold until a Native workgroup leader is identified. If you are interested in leading the AI/AN group, please contact Janet Titus (jtitus@chestnut.org).

The GLBTQ work group functions in an advisory role on issues such as GLTBQ-friendly assessments and treatments and is currently working to submit workshop and speaker proposals for the next JMATE meeting. Future efforts are focused on additional national presentations, symposia, and papers related to GLBTQ adolescent substance use, treatment, and recovery efforts.

The Deaf / Hard-of-Hearing (D/HH) workgroup is currently focused on the writing and dissemination of knowledge on the characteristics, treatment, and recovery of D/HH adolescents. Very little is known about this population in spite of the severity of need. Past efforts by the D/HH workgroup have successfully produced several national presentations. If you are interested in participating in this group, please contact Janet Titus (jtitus@chestnut.org).

If you are interested in forming a workgroup around a specific population – either those listed above or some other group - please contact GAIN Coordinating Center staff at gaininfo@chestnut.org.

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