Douglas Smith, Director of the Center for Prevention Research and Development at the University of Illinois School of Social Work, was recently featured on The Catalyst podcast. In the episode, Dr. Smith discusses how teens perceive and define recovery, drawing on findings from the Illinois Youth Survey. He explains why only 5% of surveyed Illinois youth consider themselves in recovery—compared to 8% of adults nationally—and explores what this means for schools, communities, and healthcare systems working to support young people.

The conversation also highlights why mobile apps have proven to be relatively ineffective for adolescent mental health treatment and offers insights into alternative recovery pathways. Dr. Smith shares perspectives from his new book, Motivational Interviewing with Families, which provides practical approaches for supporting youth in their recovery journeys.

Listen to the full conversation here: The Catalyst Podcast