REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

2023 CONFERENCE THEME

Meeting the Challenge, changing the narrative: connect. Adapt. thrive.

Welcome to Alabama School of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies.

jOIN US FOR THE 2023 CONFERENCE.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU MARCH 21-24, 2023.

REGISTRATION NOW: CLICK HERE

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION ENDS MARCH 13TH

NOW ACCEPTING PRESENTATION PROPOSALS FOR 2024: SUBMIT NOW

WELCOME TO THE 2023 CONFERENCE


The Alabama School of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies (ASADS) is preparing for another well-attended and highly informative annual conference on March 21 – 24, 2023. ASADS’s 47th Annual conference will take place at the Bryant Conference Center on the campus of the University of Alabama. This year’s theme is “MEETING THE CHALLENGE, CHANGING THE NARRATIVE: CONNECT. ADAPT. THRIVE.” You can look forward to vibrant programming, impactful networking, and opportunities to reflect and connect over emerging and relevant topics.

ASADS is hosted annually by numerous state agencies, treatment/prevention programs, community partners, and primary health care providers. This year ASADS will offer a special plenary speaker each day, over forty courses throughout the week, and the presentation of the Carl Nowell Award.

The ASADS Board consists of up to twenty-three members, which plan and operate the annual conference. Planning is conducted for twelve months to provide the best workshops possible for attendees. Registration fees, exhibit fees, and corporate sponsorships are used to pay for the faculty and expenses of the conference. Included in registration fees are workshop content, conference materials, logistical support, and breaks. Members of the Board serve as volunteers to coordinate the conference.

ASADS wants to ensure that our event will be safe for all attendees. ASADS will follow the Bryant Conference Center guidelines and observe all health and safety precautions that the site requires.

Sincerely,
ASADS Board of Directors


Check out our new website experience!

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Joshua Nirella

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Stephen Hill

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Dr. Merrill Norton

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Mansfield Key

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Call For Presentations

Quality workshops are scheduled to provide a quality educational experience that will enhance both professional growth and job performance. Do you have a presentation that you would like to offer for next year’s school? The submission deadline for the 2023 conference is October 30, 2022.

Learn More

Carl Nowell Award Recipients

The Carl Nowell Leadership Award is presented each year to honor a person who embodies the following characteristics:

  • A person who shows dedication and persistence through leadership in the field of prevention and treatment of alcohol and substance abuse services on a local, state, and national level.
  • A person who displays steadfast commitment through relentless effort, competence, and planning to improve those services and programs.
  • A person who operates with a team mentality and recognizes that significant change is achieved only through the action of many individuals working together.
  • A person who shares a vision for exciting possibilities and possesses an absolute belief in his/her ability to make extraordinary things happen.

We are currently accepting nominations for the 2023 Carl Nowell Award. The deadline for submission is Feb 28, 2023.

CONFERENCE LOCATION

Conference Location
Bryant Conference Center
240 Paul W. Bryant Drive
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487


Host Hotel
Hotel Capstone
320 Bryant Drive
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401
Phone: (205) 752‐3200


 

ABOUT US

ASADS exist to foster and maintain the integrity of alcohol and substance abuse related services for consumers and provide continuing education and educational programs for professionals working with populations affected by alcohol and substance abuse.

In doing so, we wish to coordinate between federal, state and local agencies to enhance the development of comprehensive educational programs focusing on alcohol and substance abuse issues. This will set a high standard of professional education and training through educational conferences and programs of continuing education.

OUR MISSION

To provide affordable quality education to the community on substance abuse treatment, prevention, and other areas of shared concern.

OUR VISION

To lead the effort in promoting a broader understanding and acceptance of the process of addiction.

 

Our Board

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

 

 

Tuesday, March 21

Tuesday Course Schedule

Registration: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Opening  Session: 8:15 aM – 9:15 aM
Break: 9:15 aM – 9:30 aM
Morning Courses: 9:30 AM – 12:30 pM (3 Hours)
  • TAM1: Strategic Productivity, Engagement, and Retention of Staff
    Speaker(s): Joshua Nirella, MSOL
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TAM2: Psychotropics and Pregnancy
    Speaker(s): Dr. Merrill Norton, Pharm.D., D.Ph., CMAC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handouts:  TAM02 Handout-1 and TAM02 Handout-2
  • TAM3: Creating Change: A Past Focused Model of Trauma and Addiction
    Speaker(s): Summer Krause, LPC, CADCIII
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handouts: TAM03 Handout-1, TAM03 Handout-2, TAM03 Handout-3, and TAM03 Handout-4
  • TAM4:  Working with Families Who Have Lost and Still Love
    Speaker(s):  Jack Sykstus, LMFT, CSAC and Maggie Banger, LPC-S
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TAM5:  HIV/STIs: an Overview for the Substance Abuse/Mental Health Professional
    Speaker(s): Rick Meriwether, B.S.
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handouts: TAM05 Handout-1, TAM05 Handout-2, TAM05 Handout-3, and TAM05 Handout-4
  • TAM6:  Creative/Collaborative Strategies for Rural Alabama Communities to Address the Mental Health Crisis
    Speaker(s): Chief Joseph Stanford and Kathleen Saucier
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TAM7: Mental Health and Wellness in Nurses and Healthcare Workers
    Speaker(s): Abby Migliore, MSN, MBA, RN
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TAM8:  Taking Care of the Caregivers: Identifying and Preventing Compassion Fatigue in the Peer Work Force
    Speaker(s): Ed Johnson, LPC, LAC/S, MAC, CCS, CPRS
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TAM9: From Grief to Gratitude: Finding Hope in Recovery
    Speaker(s): James Campbell, LPC, LAC, MAC, AADC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handout: TAM09 Handout-1
  • TAM10: The BIG PITCH: Prevention, Recovery, & Treatment SHARK TANK!
    Speaker(s): Jerria Martin, MDIV, CADCA TOT
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
Lunch: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Afternoon Courses: 1:30 PM – 4:45 pM (3 Hours)
  • TPM1:  Strategic Productivity, Engagement, and Retention of Staff
    Speaker(s):  Joshua Nirella, MSOL
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TPM2:  Ethnicity and Substance Use Disorders
    Speaker(s):  Dr. Merrill Norton, Pharm.D., D.Ph., CMAC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handout: TPM02 Handout-1
  • TPM3:  Women and Addiction: Listening to Themes
    Speaker(s): Summer Krause, LPC, CADCIII
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handout: TPM03
  • TPM4: Drug University Returns! Drug Culture, the Cartels, and Problems with Prevention
    Speaker(s): Derek Osborn, CPS, CPM
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TPM5: Value of Peer Support
    Speaker(s): Pamela Butler, MSW
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TPM6: Entrepreneurship for All
    Speaker(s): Dale O Smith, Jr
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TPM7: Engaging Community Members through Interactive Data Sharing Strategies
    Speaker(s): Lauren Barrette, B.A. and Dr. Jason Wheeler, Ph.D., MS
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TPM8: Re-Creation, De-stressing in a Stressed-out World
    Speaker(s): James Campbell, LPC, LAC, MAC, AADC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handouts: TPM08 Handout-1, TPM08 Handout-2, and TPM08 Handout-3
  • TPM9: Ethics for the Substance Use Professional
    Speaker(s): Steve Mason, LPC-S, ADC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • TPM10: Incorporating Recovery Planning into Service Notes: Documentation Training for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters (CPRS)
    Speaker(s): Ed Johnson, LPC, LAC/S, MAC, CCS, CPRS
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details

Wednesday, March 22

Wednesday Course Schedule

Registration: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Opening  Session: 8:15 aM – 9:15 aM
  • Title: The First Choice & A Second Chance
    Speaker: Stephen Hill
    Description:  See Details
Break: 9:15 aM – 9:30 aM
Morning Courses: 9:30 AM – 12:30 pM (3 Hours)
  • WAM1: Psychopharmacology of Mental Health Medications 2022
    Speaker(s): Dr. Merrill Norton, Pharm.D., D.Ph., CMAC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handouts: WAM01 Handout-1 and WAM01 Handout-2
  • WAM2:  Finding Your Best Self: A New Trauma/Addiction Model for Self-Help, Family, Peers and
    Professionals
    Speaker(s): Summer Krause, LPC, CADCIII
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handout: WAM02 Finding your Best Self
  • WAM3:  Veterans, Post Traumatic Stress and Wild Mustangs- What is Happening?
    Speaker(s):  David J Flounders, Sr., Kathleen Saucier, and Mike Cassedy

    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WAM4: Understanding Stimulant Use Disorders and Utilizing Evidenced Based Practices for Effective Treatment
    Speaker(s):  Nick Szubiak, LCSW
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WAM5: Human Trafficking and Its Intersection with Substance Use
    Speaker(s): Lillian Agbeyegbe, DRPH and Robert Bieser, MPA, BA
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WAM6: Boots on the Ground: Supporting Families In Your Backyard
    Speaker(s):  Jack Sykstus, LMFT, CSAC and Patty Sykstus, RDN/LDN
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WAM7:  Family and Dyadic-Based Intervention Strategies for the Treatment of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Disorders
    Speaker(s): Dr. Brian S. Canfield, Ed.D., LPC, LMFT
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WAM9: Ethics: History and Applied Ethical Dilemmas
    Speaker(s):  Vanessa Goepel, MA, LPC-S

    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WAM10: Stormy Seas and Beautiful Shores: Adolescents and Family Dynamics
    Speaker(s): James Campbell, LPC, LAC, MAC, AADC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details  
Lunch: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Half Day Afternoon Courses: 1:30 PM – 4:45 pM (3 Hours)
  • WPM1:  The Effects of the Latest Street Drugs on Pregnancy
    Speaker(s): Dr. Merrill Norton, Pharm.D., D.Ph., CMAC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handouts: WPM01 Handout-1, WPM01 Handout-2, and WPM01 Handout-3
  • WPM2:  Seeking Safety: An Evidence-Based Model for Trauma and/or Addiction
    Speaker(s):  Summer Krause, LPC, CADCIII
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handouts: WPM02 Handout 1 and WPM02 Handout 2
  • WPM3: Bringing Treatment Planning to Life
    Speaker(s):  Nick Szubiak, LCSW
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WPM4: Vicarious Trauma: Signs, Symptoms and Management for the Healthcare Provider
    Speaker(s):  Denice Morris MS, MEd
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WPM5: Tele-behavioral Health: Clinical Practices and Risk Management Considerations
    Speaker(s): Elana Parker Merriweather, Ed.S., LPC, AADC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WPM6: The Impact of Health Literacy on Underserved Populations
    Speaker(s): Bretia Gordon, EdD, MPA
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WPM7:  Human Trafficking and Its Intersection with Substance Use
    Speaker(s):  Lillian Agbeyegbe, DRPH and Robert Bieser, MPA, BA
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WPM8: The “Hidden Addiction” – Understanding and Treating Chronic Marijuana and Cannabis Dependency
    Speaker(s): Dr. Brian S. Canfield, Ed.D., LPC, LMFT
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WPM9: Rocking the Roles: Family Systems in Treating SUD
    Speaker(s): James Campbell, LPC, LAC, MAC, AADC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • WPM10: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Overview and Surrounding Stigma
    Speaker(s): Brenda J. Davis MSW CMA and Valentin Bonilla Jr. PA CASAC

    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details

Wednesday Night Event

Wednesday Night Community Event

 

Thursday, March 23

Thursday Course Schedule

Registration: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Opening  Session: 8:15 aM – 9:15 aM
  • Title:From Disgrace To Grace: The Neurochemistry of Shame, Recovery, and the Twelve Steps
    Speaker: Dr. Merrill Norton and Maddie Marsh
    Description:  See Details
    Handout: ThursPL Handout-1
Break: 9:15 aM – 9:30 aM
Morning Courses: 9:30 AM – 12:30 pM (3 Hours)
  • THAM1: Vaping and the Adolescent Brain
    Speaker(s): Dr. Merrill Norton, Pharm.D., D.Ph., CMAC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handout: THAM01 Handout-1
  • THAM2:  The Fierce Urgencies of Now! Changing the Conversation about The Role of Prevention, Commercialization and Inequity in a Time of National Crisis
    Speaker(s): Carlton Hall, MHS, CPS
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THAM3:  Treating PTSD in Veterans with Prolonged Exposure
    Speaker(s): David W. Hollingsworth, PhD
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THAM4:  Introduction to Prevention Ethics
    Speaker(s):  Erin Burleson, B.S./CPS
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THAM5:  Faith-Based Support Specialist Training (FBSS)
    Speaker(s): Rev. Byron Jackson, M.Div.
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THAM6:  Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Overview and Surrounding Stigma
    Speaker(s):  Brenda J. Davis, MSW CMA and Valentin Bonilla Jr., PA CASAC

    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THAM7:  Decreasing Stigma and Developing Empathy
    Speaker(s): Michelle Brown, PhD, MLS(ASCP)SBB, CHSE and Wendi Hogue, M.Ed., LPC, NCC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THAM8:  Rise in Fentanyl and Other Dangerous Opioids
    Speaker(s): Sean Malloy, B.A./A.P.O.S.T. Certification
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THAM9:  Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery and Mental Health
    Speaker(s): Katie Beaugez, M.Ed., B.A. and Amy Lamb-Eng, M.A.
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THAM10: It’s Mine, It’s Yours, It’s Ours: The Role of Servant and Stewardship in Organizational Leadership
    Speaker(s): Thurston Smith, MPA, LAC/S, CCS, CAADC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handout: THAM10 Its Mine Its Yours Its Ours
Lunch: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Afternoon Courses: 1:30 PM – 4:45 pM (3 Hours)
  • THPM1: Opioid and Other Medications: How Do They Interact
    Speaker(s): Dr. Merrill Norton, Pharm.D., D.Ph., CMAC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handout: THPM01 Handout-1
  • THPM2:  Measurable Assessments Improve SUD Treatment Outcomes
    Speaker(s): Boni-Lou Roberts RCD AL, CADC II, MATS, Samson Teklemariam, VP Clinical Services, LPC, CPTM, and Shalisha Curry-Nash, Program Director, MSCE, ICADC, ALC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THPM3:  Rise in Fentanyl and Other Dangerous Opioids
    Speaker(s): Sean Malloy, B.A./A.P.O.S.T. Certification
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THPM4: Ethical Considerations for the SUD Treatment Provider
    Speaker(s): Zach Ludwig, MA, LPC-S, NCC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THPM5: Exploring Stimulant Use Disorder Treatment and Therapies
    Speaker(s): Sabrina Nuckols, CRNP and Wendy Sprayberry, LPC, CCS
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THPM6: Recovery Residences: Is it a Very, Very, Very Fine House?
    Speaker(s): John Bayles, BA, CRSS, Robby Keeble, MS, and Page Rubin, LICSW-PIP
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handouts: THPM06 Handout
  • THPM7: Drug Trends in Alabama 2023
    Speaker(s): Mike Reese
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THPM8: Dynamic Ideas for Group Therapy
    Speaker(s): Steve Mason, LPC-S, ADC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • THPM9: The Battle at Home: Exploring the Complexities of PTSD, Substance Abuse, and Other Co-occurring Conditions in the Veteran Population
    Speaker(s): Thurston Smith, MPA, LAC/S, CCS, CAADC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
    Handout: THPM09 The Battle at Home Exploring the Complexities of PTSD Substance Abuse and Other Cooccurring Disorders
  • THPM10: Prevention Professional Essentials: What Should I Know Before I Go?
    Speaker(s): Carlton Hall, MHS, CPS
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details

Friday, March 24

Friday Course Schedule

Registration: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Opening  Session: 8:15 aM – 9:15 aM
  • Title: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
    Speaker: Mansfield Key
    Description:  See Details
Break: 9:15 aM – 9:30 aM
Morning Courses: 9:30 AM – 12:30 pM (3 Hours)
  • FAM1: Prevention Education through Coalition Building & Community Involvement
    Speaker(s):  Jason Lindell, B.S., C.P.S.
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • FAM2:  Creating Patient-Centered Care for Pregnant and Postpartum Populations with Substance Use Disorder
    Speaker(s):  Dr. Holly Horan, Ph.D. and Amie Martin, MSW, M.Ed.
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • FAM3:  Perspectives in Clinical Supervision
    Speaker(s):  Elana Parker Merriweather, Ed.S., LPC, AADC and Scott Holmes, PsyD, LPC, ICAADC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • FAM4:  Alabama’s Crisis System: Access to Care, Mobile Crisis Services, and Crisis Stabilization
    Speaker(s):  
    Anthony Reynolds, LPC, CAC
    Dr. Cindy Gipson, Ph. D
    Jim Crego
    Paula Steele, LICSW
    Donna Leslie, LPC-S
    Jaime Garza, Ph.D., NCAC II
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • FAM5: Siloed no more: Achieving Health Equity by Addressing the Pervasive Interconnections among Substance Use, Social, and Structural Determinates of Recovery
    Speaker(s): Mercy Ngosa Mumba, PhD, RN., Jessica Jaiswal, PhD, MPH., and Tiffany L. Marcantonio, PhD
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • FAM6:  Assessing Alabama’s Opioid Epidemic
    Speaker(s): Christopher Sellers, MHP and Matthew Hudnall, PhD
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • FAM7:  Drug Trends in Alabama 2023
    Speaker(s): Mike Reese
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • FAM8:  Sexting, Pornography, and Addiction…OH MY! How Pornography Affects Our Youth and is Pornography Addictive?
    Speaker(s): Wes Wiginton, MS, LPC-S, CJSOTS, CTAPSB
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • FAM9: Taking a Public Health Approach in Prevention with Local Policy Change
    Speaker(s): Kristin Kidd, M.A.
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
  • FAM10: How Can Positive Ethics Improve Our Wellbeing – A Brief Presentation
    Speaker(s):  Dr. Patrick K. Faircloth, Ph.D., LPC-S(AL), NCC
    Description and Course Objectives:  See Details
Adjourn: 12:30 PM
Continuing Education Units - CEUs

ASADS is excited to offer our conference participants CEUs.  Click the button below for ASADS CEU information.

CEU Info

ASADS Mobile Conference App

Make the most of your conference experience with the 47th Annual ASADS Conference Mobile App!
Notetaking | Create & Share Schedules | Personal Summary | Social Features

 

  1. Download the eventScribe App

    Go to the google play store or the apple app store and search for  eventScribe. you can also scan the qR code.
     

  2. search for the aSADS conference

    After installing search for .ASADS. in upcoming events (bottom row).

    Tap the event icon to launch the app.

     

  3. Login to the app
    Log in your account by signing in with your email (the one you registered with) and registant ID to begin using the app.

     

    Forgot Registrant ID? Tap on Registrant ID at the top of the screen to have it emailed to you.

     

  4. App Tips
    Download
    the app before you come to the conference! wi-Fi connection on-site can affect the functionality of the app. Browse the event information and create a personal schedule by tapping on the star next to presentation titles.

     

              

Become A Sponsor

ASADS, invites you to join the family of supporters by showcasing your agency/product at this prestigious event. Our 2023 ASADS Annual Conference will be taking place from March 21-24, 2023. Our 2023 Annual Conference will feature a broad array of topics where researchers, clinicians, and educators will share their work and progress through keynote addresses, course presentations, panel discussions, numerous networking opportunities, and much more.

ASADS’s mission is to serve the professional’s needs and interests by providing affordable high-quality education so they can practice at the highest level possible. ASADS is the only conference of its size that provides high-quality education/training for substance use disorder counselors, educators, primary care professionals, pharmacists, and other addiction-focused professionals. Over 950 attendees, eager to learn the latest advancements in addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery attend our Annual Conferences each year.

Join addiction-focused professionals for three and half days of presentations, professional development, and networking opportunities by showcasing your agency, product, or organization at this prestigious event. We offer various levels of sponsorship that will fit your budget.

For more information visit email us at asadsalabama@gmail.com or call (256) 620‐3304.

$3,500

Platinum Sponsor

Conference Registration for 3 Full Days
Keynote Speaker Sponsorship
Recognition on All Conference Literature and Website
Premium Exhibitor Space
Full Page Recognition in the Pre-and Post-Show
Logo in ASADS’s Event App
Name Badge with Exhibitor Ribbon
Three (3) Push Notification to Attendees
Attendee App Advertisement

$2,500

Gold Sponsor


Conference Registration for 2 Full Days
Recognition on All Conference Literature and Website
Preferred Exhibitor Space
Half Page Recognition in the Pre-and Post-Show
Logo in ASADS’s Event App
Name Badge with Exhibitor Ribbon
Two (2) Push Notification to Attendees

$1,500

Silver Sponsor


Conference Registration for 1 Full Day
Recognition on All Conference Literature and Website
Standard Exhibitor Space
Logo and Name in in the Pre-and Post-Show
Logo in ASADS’s Event App
Name Badge with Exhibitor Ribbon
One (1) Push Notification to Attendees

$1,000

Patron Sponsor


Conference Registration for One ½ Day
Organization Name in the Pre-and Post-Show
Name Badge with Exhibitor Ribbon

Other Opportunities and Add-Ons

  • Eight (8) Available for Logo Slots
  • Deadline: February 28, 2023
  • Four (4) Available for Logo Slots
  • Deadline: February 1, 2023
  • Seven (7) Available Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
  • Sponsored morning and afternoon break for all conference attendees
  • Break area signage
  • Acknowledgment of support through social media outlets
  • Recognition in the pre-and post-show throughout the conference
  • Four (4 ) slots available Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
  • Sponsored meal for all conference attendees
  • Breakfast area signage
  • Acknowledgment of support through social media outlets
  • Recognition in the pre-and post-show throughout the conference
  • One (1) slot available
  • Deadline: February 1, 2023
  • Three (3) available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
  • Sponsored meal for all conference attendees
  • Opportunity to share about your organization during the lunch hour 15 mins
  • Lunch area signage
  • Acknowledgment of support through social media outlets
  • Recognition in the pre-and post-show throughout the conference
  • Three (3)  available Wednesday
  • Sponsored light snack for all conference attendees
  • Area signage
  • Opportunity to handout materials
  • Acknowledgment of your organization’s support through social media outlets
  • Recognition in the pre-and post-show throughout the conference

2023 Platinum Sponsors

2023 Gold Sponsors

2023 Silver Sponsors

2023 Patrons

Questions

    Leadership as a Process In and Around Us

    Speaker: Joshua Nirella

    Speaker Bio:

    Joshua has been working in the addiction field since 2001 when he began working with Auberle, a local group home for kids. In 2006, Joshua achieved his Master of Organizational Leadership through Geneva College and obtained a leadership position with Discovery House, a national organization offering methadone maintenance treatment. He has been serving as Regional Director with Acadia Healthcare since 2016, where he oversees nine MAT facilities in Western PA and Ohio, serving over 3,000 patients. For over two decades, Joshua has been providing care to thousands of people directly affected by addiction. He has consulted with and taken part in regulation reform with the Department of Health for Pennsylvania and Ohio, MCO’s, hospitals, residential treatment facilities, and prisons. He is the President of PAATOD and was a CARF Surveyor. Joshua is passionate about patient care, leadership principles, and employee engagement and their involvement in an organization’s direction. Joshua is happily married to his “college sweetheart” since 2002, has five children, and is an ordained minister.

    Session Description:

    In his book, Leadership for the Twenty-First Century, (1991), Joseph C. Rost wrote, “Leadership is a process, not a person.” Over the past three years, the behavioral/addiction healthcare workforce has been severely tested, as staffing shortages and operational challenges have quickly risen to the top. These issues have always been there, but the COVID pandemic only exacerbated these areas to bring them to the surface. This called for leadership to identify solutions overnight while continuing to maintain services and increase market share. It also forced our entire workforce to “do more with less” while providing solutions to the challenges that they faced, oftentimes becoming overwhelmed with that burden. We suddenly began to see Rost’s words start to ring true—groups of people rallied as one to identify, then solve problems. We live in a society that is fixated on elevating a single person as the solution to our problems. From NFL teams to Wall Street, individuals have risen in importance far more than groups of people ever will. However, leadership really isn’t about one individual, but more about the message (i.e., vision/mission) and the process to have that message become central to who we are. In this session, we will discover more about the process of leadership and the importance of focusing on our people, connecting them to the vision/mission to do and become the message we have set out to become.

     

    The First Choice & A Second Chance

    Speaker: Stephen Hill

    Speaker Bio:

    Stephen Hill—founder of Speak Sobriety, a young person in recovery, bestselling author, recovery coach, and a fierce attorney advocating for treatment over incarceration—is a renowned national speaker on substance use prevention & mental health awareness with a truly inspiring comeback story that everyone must hear. Stephen has presented in front of thousands of people for over 400 schools, drug-free community coalitions, alliances, and organizations across the country, sharing his cautionary tale of addiction to recovery and beyond, leaving people better educated, feeling hopeful, and motivated to make smart choices and positive change. But before Stephen had these accolades attached to his name, his reputation was filled with negative stigmas—junky, dropout, felon, failure. A once-promising student-athlete barely graduated high school, dropped out of numerous colleges, was arrested several times, misused deadly amounts of drugs for nearly a decade, was in and out of countless treatment programs, lost his friends, and cost his family tremendous emotional and financial hardship. Just when it seemed like there was no hope for Stephen, he finally began his journey from drug & alcohol addiction to recovery when he entered an extended care treatment program on September 30, 2012. After 180 days in treatment when Stephen was able to start thinking clearly, he made a choice to give himself a real second chance at life. Through inner strength, patience, hard work, and support from others, Stephen turned his mess into a message by using both his positive and negative life experiences to live out a meaningful life with passion. Today, Stephen teaches people to be resilient by not only maximizing their strengths, but also taking what most people perceive as a weakness or negative experience and turning it into a life lesson for personal growth. This shift in thinking is how Stephen was able to overcome a severe substance use disorder, work in the field of addiction prevention, treatment and recovery, start his own speaking and coaching company, receive his bachelor’s with honors from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, earn his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, pass the New York bar exam, publish his memoir A Journey to Recovery which was a #1 New Release in Drug Dependency on Amazon, and live a happy and healthy lifestyle with his friends and family. Some of the personal experiences that Stephen shares are difficult for him to talk about, but he knows it’s worth it if his story helps just one person every time he speaks.

    Session Description:

    This program begins with an introduction video aimed at knocking down the stigma attached to the disease of addiction, educating the audience on the current drug epidemic, and setting the stage for a powerful, honest and heartfelt story. During interviews with Stephen’s family, it becomes clear he had a great childhood. “No one saw this coming.” Stephen shows his audience, through his life experience, how addiction can unfold, the consequences of substance use, and how stigma contributed to his inability to recover. His storytelling technique allows each individual person to draw conclusions in their own meaningful way as it relates to their own life. Stephen focuses on the progression of his addiction—beginning to end—leaving people with a better understanding of how the choices they make today will affect them, and those around them, for the rest of their lives. The trifecta gateway drugs of nicotine, marijuana and alcohol introduced to Stephen in 8th grade by older peers was just the beginning, eventually leading to self-destructive behaviors, criminal convictions, and a deadly opioid addiction. Stephen directly discusses why it is currently the most dangerous time in history to be using drugs because of fentanyl. He takes you through his dark days in addiction and slowly transitions into sobriety, emphasizing that recovery is possible. The pivotal moment is when Stephen was given a second chance to turn his mess into a message by working in the field of addiction treatment and prevention. In recovery, Stephen gained the confidence to go back to college and eventually law school. He closes with hope and motivation to be kind and understanding, never give up on someone, help others chase their dreams, leads by example, and to live a happy and healthy lifestyle.

    From Disgrace To Grace: The Neurochemistry of Shame, Recovery, and the Twelve Steps

    Speaker: Dr. Merrill Norton

    Speaker Bio:

    Dr. Merrill Norton is an EMMY-winning Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus of the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, with his specialty areas including psychopharmacology and addiction pharmacy. He was most recently honored by the Georgia Addiction Counselors Association’s Board of Directors and Certification Board with being bestowed the first Certified Master Addiction Counselor (CMAC) credential in the state. His book, Understanding Substance Use Disorders Pharmacology, has been used to train thousands of mental health professionals nationally, and his latest book and The Pharmacist’s Guide to Opioid Use Disorders was released in December 2018. Dr. Norton completed his undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy. He accomplished a three-year addiction medicine fellowship under the direction of Douglas Talbott, MD at Ridgeview Institute and has state, national, and international credentials in the treatment of mentally ill/addicted/chronic pain individuals. He has also been a faculty member of the Fairleigh-Dickinson University Postdoctoral Training Program in the Masters of Psychopharmacology, Alliant International University of San Francisco College of Psychology, University of Georgia School of Continuing Education, and Berry College in the areas of Psychopharmacology and Addiction Pharmacy. His areas of specialty in addiction pharmacy are the management of chronic pain in substance use disordered patient and the neuroscience of substance use disorders. Since his recent retirement from UGA, Dr. Norton’s primary focus has been to provide the latest scientific information to communities, educators, healthcare professionals, prevention specialists, treatment providers, and especially families, on the diseases of substance use disorders.

    Session Description:

    In the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD), there are medications that have been approved by the FDA to ease the transition into abstinence. Medications can be used for detoxification, withdrawal, and cravings associated with AUD. When it comes to treating alcohol cravings and deterring individuals from drinking alcohol, medications are an efficacious resource. Currently, less than 10% of patients with AUD receive medications as part of their treatment plan, even though it is an evidence-based treatment recommended by SAMHSA in combination with behavioral interventions. When individuals show an inadequate response to counseling alone, adding medication may be the next step. Anti-craving medications include Naltrexone, Acamprosate, Disulfiram, anticonvulsants (off-label), and herbal preparations.

    What’s Love Got To Do With It?  

    Speaker: Mansfield Key

    Speaker Bio:

    Mansfield (Pete) Key III is the leading Growth Development Strategist and International Motivational Speaker. He’s a Life Coach, mentor, consultant, speechwriter, and certified HIV/AIDS Instructor. He holds multiple certifications in grief counseling and 21st Century Leadership. He’s certified in Relationship Smarts, Fatherhood Initiative, Together We Can, and Basic Training for Relationships from the Human Development Department at Auburn University. He has provided technical assistance to the Federal Government’s Health and Human Services for all 50 states and has worked directly with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. He has consulted for the Departments of Education and Public Health in several states. He has also provided presentations for the Juvenile Justice System, Dream Development Center in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Liverpool, England’s Hope Organization. He is the creator of the Lunch with The Keys Program, teaching Character Education to kindergarten through twelfth-grade students. The youth services program, Lunch with The Keys, won the School of Distinction for Florence High School and went on to be awarded the 2019 CLAS Banner for Alabama School District 7. Pete’s Fatherhood program also won the Community Action Head Start Fatherhood Program of the year. He was named Humanitarian of the Year for the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He’s also a member of the 2016-2017 Class of Leadership Alabama and the 2020 President of the Florence Rotary Club. His speaking engagements include the Ryan White National Conference; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA); Alabama Education Association; Alabama Associate of School Boards; and the School Superintendents of Alabama. He has authored three books and released multiple curriculums. Besides his relationship with God, he is most proud of his wife, Sharlene, and two daughters, Erin and Joi. Key believes everyone has something special, but sometimes people need others to help them discover it.

    Session Description:

    This ed-u-training (educational and entertaining) training session will have its audience participating in lively discussions and engaging activities using music and drama. We want to help them discover sustainable ways to keep the passion for their purpose. Let’s work together to help your team identify what’s draining their emotional and mental battery and determine what is causing their engine to have a slow start and sometimes stall. We will bring the Booster Cables to give them a charge and help create a spark to energize the people around them. Let’s work together to discover ways to relieve their personal and professional stress to their personal and professional best. This session will clearly prepare participants to leave the conference ready to illustrate what it means to make a difference in the lives of others: “Someone’s Destiny is tied to your assignment.” 

    Call for Presentations

    ASADS is in the process of planning our 46th school to be held in 2021 and would love for you to consider applying as a presenter. The school will be held March 22-26, 2021 at the Bryant Conference Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

    ASADS offers a unique opportunity for professional development, information exchange and networking. It is designed to address the need for knowledge and skill development through advanced training. We have a proud history of providing education encompassing the fields of Prevention, Treatment and Recovery for over forty (40) years.

    We expect participants to come from a variety of settings and possess a range of skills and experience. Attendees may include prevention practitioners, treatment, recovery and youth development practitioners, state and community leaders, agency directors and staff, juvenile justice and adult corrections practitioners, people in recovery and their allies, public health practitioners, educators and faith-based groups.

    If you are interested in supporting ASADS by becoming a presenter, please complete this form including the required attachments.  Early submissions will be greatly appreciated.” 

    Suggested Topics are listed below but not limited to the following:

    Prevention Topics include, but are not limited to, HIV/AIDS, prevention ethics, managing disruptive behavior, sustainability planning, cultural competency and addressing behavioral health disparities underage drinking, community level change strategies, coalition building/development, prescription drug abuse, prevention advocacy, marijuana prevention education/legalization, mental health promotion, suicide prevention, prevention programs geared toward specific populations (youth, college, military, etc.) and impact on the workplace.

    Youth Development Topics include, but are not limited to, evidence-based practices in working with youth, relationship between youth development and prevention, treatment and/or recovery, youth voice and choice, youth led campaigns, high-impact activities, creating youth friendly spaces, understanding the teen brain, and building effective relationships with youth.

    Treatment Topics include, but are not limited to, abstinence based treatment, addiction counseling competencies, treatment addressing the need of specific populations (veterans, adolescents, collegiate, gender, LGBTQ, young adults), co-occurring disorders, ethics, evidence-based programs, strategies for family treatment, medication-assisted treatment, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, senior population and substance use, technology based therapeutic tools, trauma, clinical supervision.

    Recovery Topics include, but are not limited to, recovery support services, role of peer based recovery support, forensic peer specialists, youth peer support, creating a culture of recovery, medication in support of recovery, recovery community organizations (funding and making the business case), science of addiction and recovery, creating the expectation of recovery, role of family and community in recovery, and addiction advocacy in local communities.

    Wellness for Professional Topics include, but are not limited to, personal wellness for substance abuse counselors, doing our own work: a parallel process, impairment prevention, setting boundaries for self-care, identifying risk factors, life balance, self-checkup, finding renewal, cultivating habits of self-care, career-sustaining strategies, burnout, coping skills, stress management, practicing mindfulness, and wellness activities-cognitive, emotional, physical and spiritual.

    Final selection of proposals will be completed by September 30, 2023.  Selected presenters will be notified by email.  Those not selected will be advised.

    Submit a Proposal

















      3 Hours

      Plenary Session - 45 Minutes


       

      2022 Award Recipient

      Dr. Darlene Traffanstedt, MD

      Previous Winners

      Christopher Retan (2021)Carol Potok (2020)
      Gwen Thomas-LeBlanc (2019)Sarah Harkless (2018)
      Patrick Tidwell (2017)
      Foster Cook (2016)
      Richard Bonds (2015)Theodore Mitchell (2014)
      Kathy House (2013)
      Callie Dietz (2012)Kent Hunt (2011)
      Susan Reid (2010)
      Elana Parker (2009)Carl Nowell (2008)

      ASADS is currently accepting nominations for the Carl Nowell Leadership Award to be given during the 2020 Annual School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. All nominations in the area of substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery are welcomed.





















         

         

        NAME TITLE AGENCY EMAIL ADDRESS
        Angela Camp President Bradford Health Services acamp@bradfordhealth.net
        Kathy House Vice President Dept. of Mental Health kathy.house@mh.alabama.gov
        Mike McLemore Treasurer AADAA lighting-sun@msn.com
        Debbi Sims Metzger Secretary Dept. of Mental Health debbi.metzger@mh.alabama.gov
        Lucy Douglas  Parlimentarian Sereno Ridge Recovery ldouglas@serenoridge.com
        Eddie Albright Board of Dir. NAADAC eddie.albright@rehab.alabama.gov
        Rebecca Bensema Board of Dir. Board of Pardons and Paroles rebecca.bensema@paroles.alabama.gov
        Dr. Courtney Dotson Board of Dir. Dept. of Rehab Services courtney.dotson@rehab.alabama.gov
        Vanessa Goepel Board of Dir. University of Alabama vanessa.goepel@yahoo.com
        Nikki Harris Board of Dir. SATTC/Morehouse School of Medicine nharris@msm.edu
        Jackie Hill Gordon Board of Dir. VA Medical Center-Tuscaloosa jackie.hill-gordon@va.gov
        Scott Holmes Board of Dir. Dept. of Youth Services scott.holmes@dys.al
        Gail Hooper Board of Dir. Drug Education Council gail@drugeducation.org
        Shona Johnson Board of Dir. Dept. of Corrections shona.johnson@doc.alabama.gov
        Bridget Jones Board of Dir. Dept. of Transportation jonesbrid@dot.state.al.us
        Rachel Kiefer Board of Dir. Dept. of Public Health rachel.kiefer@adph.state.al.us
        Stephen Kiser Board of Dir. Walker Recovery Center swkwrc@aol.com
        Rodney Maiden Board of Dir. Troy University rmaiden@troy.edu
        Abby Migliore Board of Dir. Board of Nursing abby.migliore@abn.alabama.gov
        Donna Oates Board of Dir. Administrative Office of Courts donna.oates@alacourt.gov
        Samantha Patterson Board of Dir. NW AL Treatment Center pattersonsamantha08@gmail.com
        Greg Snodgrass Board of Dir. Cumberland Heights snodgrassgreg@hotmail.com
        Advisory Board
        Lynn Boyd, Ph.D Advisory Board AADAA lynnboyd@gmail.com
        Necoal Holiday Driver Advisory Board Troy University ndriver22670@troy.edu

        The list below is CEUs that were offered for the 2022 conference. We are working to verify CEUs for the 2023 conference.

        Organization Detail
        AADAA AADAA: Alabama School of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies conference March 22-25, 2022 has been approved by AADAA. 

         

        Alabama Psychological Association (aPa): This program is sponsored by the Alabama School of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies (ASADS) and the Alabama Psychological Association (aPA). The Alabama Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Alabama Psychological Association (aPA) maintains responsibility for this program and its contents. This program is approved for number (numeral) credit hours for psychologists by the Alabama Psychological Association (aPA). Partial attendance, late arrival, or early departure will preclude the issuance of CE credits.

         

        AL Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators Alabama Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators: This program has been approved for 27 hours of continuing education by the Alabama Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators.

         

        NAADAC: ASADS is an approved provider of continuing education by NAADAC Provider number 111584.
        Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners: Chosen courses must meet Alabama Social Workers requirement 0502.
        NBCC: Alabama School of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP # 6600. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Alabama School of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.
        Alabama Board of Nursing: ASADS is an approved provider of continuing education by the Alabama Board of Nursing ABNP1475, expiration date 2/01/2025.
        ADRS: The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services is approved by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) to sponsor continuing education credits for counselors. Provider number 00060639.
        CRCC: CRCC acknowledges it is the responsibility of the participant to actively participate in a program for the benefit of furthering their professional education. However, CRCC encourages all providers of continuing education to actively monitor participation in a program or activity prior to awarding credit to certificates.