Youth System of Care

About Us

Important Announcement: To support SAPC’s expansion of this learning management system, the System of Care Training for Youth platform (aka Youth System of Care LMS) will be fully transitioned to the Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Learning and Network Connection (SAPC-LNC) Platform effective on 07/01/2025. The System of Care Training for Youth platform will no longer be accessible after 6/30/2025.

Existing users of the System of Care training Youth Platform are encouraged to download all certificates and complete all training modules that are still in progress prior to 07/01/2025. Beginning 5/1/2025, please go to the SAPC-LNC Platform and register for a new account to complete future trainings on the new platform. Registration and trainings are free of charge. All training content from the YSOC-LMS are available on the new platform. When you register on the SAPC-LNC Platform, the system will search for a matching account on the System of Care Training for Youth Platform, which may enable you to download certificates obtained from the System of Care training Youth Platform in the future. Please note that this feature is not available immediately but will be released at a later time. We strongly recommend you download all certificates from this platform before 07/01/2025, just in case of technical problems.

If you have never created an account on the System of Care Training for Youth platform, please go to SAPC-LNC Platform to register for a new account and access trainings there.

You can access the SAPC-LNC Platform Getting Started Guide here.
Please email us at INFO@SAPC-LNC.ORG if you have any questions. Thank you.

The Training Team

Click on the Training Team link below to see a list of project staff and collaborators.

Training Team

		Rachel Gonzales-Castaneda, PhD, MPH Dr. Gonzales-Castaneda is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Azusa Pacific University and an Associate Research Psychologist at UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP). She has extensive experience in designing and evaluating prevention and treatment programs that address substance use disorders. Her expertise and research focus on prevention and disease management approaches, adolescent and young adult health, and cultural and social impacts on health status. She has also served as a co-investigator for a large, multi-program evaluation of the youth system of care in Los Angeles County funded by the Department of Public Health.
		Sherry Larkins PhD Dr. Sherry Larkins is a Research Sociologist in the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and is a Co-Director of Training for UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP) and member of the Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center. She has extensive experience as the training director at the Los Angeles County, Department of Mental Health (LAC-DMH) and UCLA. She has been involved in substance abuse research for over 20 years and has led multiple epidemiological and clinical research studies. Her research includes stimulant abuse, substance abuse treatment for marginalized populations, and sexual risk behaviors associated with substance use.
		Irene Valdovinos, MSW, MPH Irene Valdovinos is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Azusa Pacific University. She serves as evaluation coordinator for the Youth System of Care Trainings and oversees the development, implementation, and management of the clinical trainings and learning modules. She coordinates communication between all stakeholders and oversees regulatory and administrative aspects of the project.
		Ashley Horiuchi, BA Ashley Horiuchi is the research associate who assists the team with the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Youth System of Care Trainings.
		Janna Schirmer, BA Janna Schirmer is the project research associate who assists the team with the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Youth System of Care Trainings.
		Roxy Terteryan, MPH Roxy Terteryan is a research specialist in the Department of Psychology at Azusa Pacific University. She oversees the coordination of clinical trainings, ensuring project responsibilities are carried out. In addition, she is actively engaged in developing project materials for the youth system of care at-risk curriculum and facilitator guides.

Organizations

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) - Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC)
DPH SAPC provides a full spectrum of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services to reduce and treat substance use disorder in Los Angeles County. SAPC provides services through contracts with community-based organizations and health care providers to serve Los Angeles County residents.

California Institute of Behavioral Health Solutions (CIBHS)
CIBHS is a non-profit agency that helps health professionals, agencies and funders improve the lives of people with mental health and substance use challenges through policy, training, evaluation, technical assistance, and research.

Azusa Pacific University (APU)
APU is a private, faith-based university located in Southern California. Through the research and work of Dr. Rachel Gonzales-Castaneda, APU has been awarded several training contracts/grants to provide training to students and healthcare professionals in Los Angeles County on substance use to help reduce and treat substance use disorders.