Introduction to Motivational Interviewing is a basic presentation of the historical/theoretical foundation, style, spirit, and practice skill of Motivational Interviewing as applied to human services and mental health.

Motivational Interviewing will be the focus of this training, as the Spirit, Principles, and Skills are introduced with a focus on Tobacco Cessation. As Tobacco Cessation continues to be a focus of treatment in Mental Health, Substance Use, and Integrated Health fields, the use of applying motivational interviewing skills helps facilitate a plan of action. The two are combined to help providers build a collaborative-assistive relationship to identify ambivalence, evoke change talk, and help consumers create a plan to stop use of tobacco products.

The changing health care marketplace requires child and adolescent case managers to move from their traditional role to one of care manager. In that role they work in health navigation, care coordination, play an active role in collecting data and work with the whole person and their family- encompassing their physical and behavioral health. Moving to a care management model gives behavioral health organizations a competitive edge in promoting services across the complex health care system for children and adolescents.