The urgency of this work cannot be overstated.
Youth who use drugs, whether occasionally or regularly, are at increased risk of harm or substance use disorder. We know there are effective tools and resources available to help.
Training is available now. Please submit an interest form to schedule training.
We look forward to connecting with you soon!
Participants Say...
“This training is changing my language with students.
I now feel like I can go much further in conversation.”
Anonymous
El Camino College“The training was fun and engaging, and I LOVED being in the same room as my peers.
We only get to do that for a short monthly All Staff meeting, so sharing the room and changing the scenery was fun.
The facilitators were very knowledgeable and brought that to the table. Thanks so much!”
Angelica
Kamali'i Foster Family Agency“This training has given our team meaningful space to reflect on our approach to supporting students.
Grounding our work in cultural humility, restorative justice, and harm reduction will strengthen our commitment to meeting students where they are, honoring their lived experiences, and responding with empathy and evidence‑based practices.”
Kristen J., Acting Director
EOPS/CARE, NextUp, Guardian Scholars & CalWORKs, El Camino College“We so appreciate Open Doors coming and supporting our staff to empower youth.
It was energizing to see so many of our team members in one room, thinking deeply about how we show up for the young people we serve.”
Eric Hubbard, Director of Development & College Success
Jovenes, Inc.“I’m going to do more deep listening and slow down on problem-solving.”
Anonymous
El Camino College“Very informative, engaging!
I don’t think I yawned even once, even though I’m usually falling asleep in other trainings.”
Miguel A., Intake Coordinator
Nuevo Amanecer Latino Children’s Services“I realize how privileged I am to get this workshop and will spread to others what I have learned.”
Anonymous
El Camino College
This training is for you if...
The California Alliance of Child and Family Services (CACFS) is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs (Provider #1000075).
We aim to equip you with:
Serving All Communities
California is a geographically large and diverse state. Our goal is to provide a training program that serves all communities. We're engaging a wide range of professionals and community members to guide us.
Advisory GROUP
The Open Doors Advisory Group, consisting of a diverse group of professionals and individuals with lived experience, will help to keep the training focused on our youth’s needs.
YOUTH COUNCIL
We are centering youth voices in our Open Doors project through a Youth Council (ages 15-26), ensuring our training reflects real experiences and needs. Their input will shape a youth-centered approach that strengthens supportive relationships and uplifts all communities.
Focus Groups
We are engaging our community through focus groups that will ensure representation of all voices in our curriculum, with an emphasis on elevating voices from historically marginalized and underserved populations.
LANGUAGE & CULTURAL TRANSLATION
We are growing towards an inclusive program that provides our core training to non-English speakers who engage with youth—starting with Spanish, the predominant second language in California.
Organizations We've Trained
Training is available!
Since Our Launch in March 2025
We are excited to share a major milestone. Open Doors has trained over 1000 people statewide!
Individuals trained to date:
Coming Soon: Spanish
Our Core Training curriculum will be available in Spanish by August 2027.
Across California, This Work is Growing
More than 1,000 trusted adults across California are now better equipped to have supportive, nonjudgmental conversations with young people about substance use and other behavioral health concerns.
A Network of Caring Adults
- Educators
- Youth workers
- Social service providers
- Community-based professionals
- Behavioral health partners
- and others
These Open Doors-informed individuals are committed to showing up for youth in ways that are grounded in relationship, respect, and real conversation.
And we are just getting started.
If you work with young people ages 12–25, Open Doors can help you build the skills and confidence to engage youth in conversations that support their well-being, autonomy, and safety.
Please submit an interest form to schedule in-person training. You can sign up for virtual training in our learning portal.
We look forward to connecting with you soon!
Upcoming virtual training dates include the following at
9:00 AM – 12:30 PM via Zoom:
October 29 – October 30, 2026
November 12 – November 13, 2026
December 3 – December 4, 2026
Some organizations we've trained:
Note: This project is not intended for any urgent medical or behavioral health needs.
All medical and behavioral health crises should be directed to your local emergency or crisis response services. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. If you are searching for referral resources, please visit our Resource page.