Supporting Children and Adolescents Living With Parental Substance Misuse: Tools for School and Clinical Providers - Background Image
Live Event

Supporting Children and Adolescents Living With Parental Substance Misuse: Tools for School and Clinical Providers

Fri, May 15th, 2026
11:00am – 2:15pm US Eastern Time
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About the Event

In the United States, an estimated 21 million children lived with a parent who misused substances based on data from 2015–2019 (Ghertner, 2023). Children and adolescents living in homes where parents or caregivers engage in substance misuse face unique and often hidden challenges that can significantly impact their emotional, behavioral, and academic functioning.

This webinar is designed to equip school, clinical, behavioral health, and other human service professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to identify, support, and advocate for these vulnerable youth.

Live Event
This live online event will be held as a Zoom Webinar. Attendees will have the option to interact through features such as the Chat and Q&A, but cameras and microphones will not be enabled.

Live Event Instructor

Christina Marsack-Topolewski

Christina Marsack-Topolewski

Dr. Christina Marsack-Topolewski is an associate professor of Social Work in the College of Health and Human Services at Eastern Michigan University. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski received her PhD in Social Work with a dual title in Gerontology from Wayne State University. She has worked with individuals with various intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) for 20 years. Her research focuses on individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities, their caregivers, advance care planning, the service delivery model, and service utilization. She has over 90 publications in national and international journals and encyclopedias, mainly focusing on individuals with IDDs, caregiving, as well as services and supports. In addition, she has presented her work locally, nationally, and internationally.

Target Audience

This live interactive webinar is intended for behavioral health professionals, including Psychologists, Social Workers, Counselors, MFT's and Addiction Professionals.

Learning Objectives

After taking this activity, you should be able to:

  1. 1 Describe the impact of parental substance misuse on child and adolescent development and functioning.
  2. 2 Recognize signs of distress in children and adolescents that may be linked to substance use in the home.
  3. 3 Identify strategies and resources to support vulnerable youth and their family systems.

Barrett, S., Muir, C., Burns, S., Adjei, N., Forman, J., Hackett, S., ... & McGovern, R. (2024). Interventions to reduce parental substance use, domestic violence and mental health problems, and their impacts upon children’s well-being: A systematic review of reviews and evidence mapping. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 25(1), 393-412. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231153867

Ghertner, R. (2022). US national and state estimates of children living with parents using substances, 2015–2019. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.

Jones, C. M., Zhang, K., Han, B., Guy, G. P., Losby, J., Einstein, E. B., ... & Compton, W. M. (2024). Estimated number of children who lost a parent to drug overdose in the US from 2011 to 2021. JAMA psychiatry, 81(8), 789-796. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.0810

Kallander, E. K., Weimand, B. M., Hanssen‐Bauer, K., Van Roy, B., & Ruud, T. (2021). Factors associated with quality of life for children affected by parental illness or substance abuse. Scandinavian journal of caring sciences, 35(2), 405-419. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.12868Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Latvala, A., Kuja-Halkola, R., D'Onofrio, B. M., Jayaram-Lindström, N., Larsson, H., & Lichtenstein, P. (2022). Association of parental substance misuse with offspring substance misuse and criminality: a genetically informed register-based study. Psychological medicine, 52(3), 496-505. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720002135

Lowthian, E. (2022). The secondary harms of parental substance use on children’s educational outcomes: A review. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 15(3), 511-522. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-021-00433-2

Muir, C., Adams, E. A., Evans, V., Geijer-Simpson, E., Kaner, E., Phillips, S. M., ... & McGovern, R. (2023). A systematic review of qualitative studies exploring lived experiences, perceived impact, and coping strategies of children and young people whose parents use substances. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(5), 3629-3646. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380221134297

Roy, J. (2021). Children living with parental substance misuse: A cross‐sectional profile of children and families referred to children's social care. Child & Family Social Work, 26(1), 122-131. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12795

Sylvestro, H. M., Glance, D. E., Ripley, D., & Stephenson, R. (2023). Elementary school counselors’ experiences working with children affected by parental substance use. Professional School Counseling, 27(1), 2156759X231182142. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X231182142

Tustin, R. D. (2025). Review of Studies Regarding Assessment of Families Where Children Are at Risk of Harm Due to Parental Substance Misuse. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(4), 612. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22040612

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The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity's planners, faculty, and the reviewer:

Planners and Reviewers

The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.

Faculty

There are no known relevant financial relationships to disclose.

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Eligible until May 16th, 2026
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Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (FL CSW, MFT, MHC)

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Florida Board of Psychology

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3 CE credit hours
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AddictionCounselorCE is an approved provider of the Missouri Substance Abuse Professional Credentialing Board (Provider #101). AddictionCounselorCE maintains responsibility for this course and its contents.
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New York Education Department Board of Social Work

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Event Agenda

Agenda times are listed in US Eastern Time. That is 3 hours later than US Pacific Time. The event starts at 8:00am US Pacific Time.

11:00 am – 11:30 am: Welcome, Poll Questions, Orientation to the Topic 11:30 am – 12:00 pm: Background information and Key Terminology 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma; Risk Factors

12:30 pm – 12:45 pm: Break

12:45 pm – 1:15 pm: Impact on School Setting; School-Based Supports 1:15 pm – 2:00 pm: Supporting Mental Health and Wellness among Parents and Children 2:00-2:15: Recap + Q & A

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