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Turning Detention into Intervention: Reducing Substance Use in Justice-Involved Youth
SESSION INFO
Monday, March 2, 2026
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Session Type: Workshop
Teen Intervene is an evidence-based program designed for adolescents aged 12–19 who are experiencing mild to moderate issues related to alcohol or other drug use. The goal of the program is to help teens self-identify why they use substances and ultimately enable teens to take responsibility and plan for change or reduction in their substance use. In our partnership with Arizona State University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, we have gathered data over the past 2 years of implementation and with over 673 juveniles completing the program, and have yielded results that demonstrate consistently strong satisfaction across two consecutive program years, suggesting that Teen Intervene continues to be viewed by youth as a valuable and engaging support resource. Results suggest that Teen Intervene continues to positively influence youths’ knowledge, motivation, and self-confidence in reducing their substance use.
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SESSION PRESENTERS
Mr. Trevor Morris
PhD Student, Maricopa County Juvenile Probation
Trevor Morris is a third-year doctoral student in the Law and Psychology PhD. program and Youth Justice Lab at Arizona State University. His research focuses on shifting juvenile justice environments from risk suppression to the cultivation of internal strengths. Specifically, he investigates how hope and resilience can be fostered through relational supports like credible messengers and positive psychology activities. Driven by the belief that all youth are capable of positive developmental change, Trevor’s work seeks to realign system practices with adolescent development to actively increase the well-being and future-thinking of youth impacted by the justice system.
Devon Velasquez
Licensed Professional Counselor, Maricopa County Juvenile Probation
Devon Velasquez is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 15 years of experience working with justice-involved youth. Specializing in adolescent substance use prevention and early intervention, Devon has led the implementation of evidence-based programs such as Teen Intervene and SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) in detention and probation settings. Currently, Devon works with Maricopa County Juvenile Probation Department at Durango Detention Facility to integrate behavioral health interventions into juvenile justice programming, ensuring youth receive timely and appropriate support. She brings a strengths-based, culturally responsive approach to working with at-risk populations.
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