Using the Reaching Teens AI Tool for Immediate Guidance

Reaching Teens offers a wide breadth of professional development content that positions youth-serving professionals to more effectively impact young lives. However, building this knowledge base takes time and solidifying it takes experience. In any moment, you must respond to a specific situation. 

Reaching Teens can be navigated through AI in real time to help you address an immediate concern.  If you ask a targeted question, you will receive a brief answer that can be read in 60-90 seconds.  Each key point will be referenced and offer a direct link to a chapter for a deeper dive if desired. Films are found at the end of most chapters.

Using this AI Tool ensures answers will be drawn only from the Reaching Teens toolkit, avoiding the downsides of internet-based searching. You can be certain the response will be rooted in evidence and offered through a strength-based and trauma-sensitive lens.  Further, you can be confident the response will not incorporate undermining or mistaken online content about adolescents, their identities, or behaviors.

The AI tool can serve as a navigator. You can ask it to direct you to any topic of concern. If Reaching Teens has a chapter or film that meets your needs, it will offer a link to it.

The AI tool can respond to questions in multiple languages.

How to Use the AI Tool

To use the AI tool, simply open the Reaching Teens digital toolkit and click on this icon on the bottom right.

A chatbox will open where you can ask questions. You can ask the AI tool about the interplay of any of three elements:  1) A specific behavior; 2) the condition(s) that affect the youth’s behavior or ability to self-regulate (e.g. developmental stage, trauma history or psychiatric condition); and 3) your communication response.

 Questions you might ask the Reaching Teens AI tool are limitless, but include:

  • What should I say when __________?
  • How might I better meet the needs of a young person with a history of ___________? 
  • How might I better meet the needs of a young person with a condition such as ___________?
  • How might I communicate more effectively with a person with a history of ___________?
  • How might I communicate more effectively with a person who has a condition such as ___________?
  • How can I help a young person with ___________ better understand that a consequence they have received is related to their behavior?
  • How can I help a young person who has experienced ___________ feel safe?
  • How can I help a young person who has experienced ___________ better self-regulate?
  • How can I support a young person with (a condition of)  __________ to better understand why we need them to behave __________, even when __________?

Most youth have intersecting concerns. You can ask the AI tool to create a plan for a specific youth with multiple concerns. For example, “How can I support an immigrant youth who is depressed and has a history of trauma who is currently using substances to mask his emotions?”  After you receive a response, you can even add an added layer saying for example, “The same youth is also gay.” Or “The same youth is failing school.”

Remember, however, that no matter how many details you offer, AI does not know the youth standing in front of you. This tool can offer you guidance, but it does not substitute for clinical advice or offer the richness and detailed strategies that you can develop with a colleague.

How to Bookmark Reaching Teens on Your Phone

To more quickly access Reaching Teens at the point of care, you can add a shortcut to the toolkit on your phone. Please follow the instructions below based on your phone type.

Apple

  1. Open the Safari app   on your iPhone.
  2. Go to the main Reaching Teens website at www.aap.org/reachingteens2e.
  3. Click on Full Content.
  4. Log in to the toolkit if prompted.
  5. Once in the toolkit, tap  , then tap Share.
    If your Tabs layout is Bottom or Top, tap .
  6. Scroll down the list of options, then tap Add to Home Screen.
    If you don’t see Add to Home Screen, you can add it. Scroll down to the bottom of the list, tap Edit Actions, then tap   Add to Home Screen.
  7. Tap Add.

The icon appears on the device. Going forward you can tap the icon to open Reaching Teens.

Android

  1. Open Google Chrome.
  2. Go to the main Reaching Teens website at www.aap.org/reachingteens2e.
  3. Click on Full Content.
  4.  Log in to the toolkit if prompted.
  5. Tap the three vertical dots button at the top right corner of the screen.
  6. Select Add to Home screen.
  7. Tap Add to transfer it to the home screen.

The icon appears on the device. Going forward you can tap the icon to open Reaching Teens.