How to Eat an Elephant

Speaker: Anthony Brooks

Speaker Bio:

Anthony Brooks has dedicated his professional career to uplifting and supporting the young and young at heart. His job titles have consisted of clinical coordinator, family consultant, public relations coordinator, counselor/therapist, administrative assistant, program coordinator and motivational speaker. He has dedicated his professional career to uplifting and supporting his clients, customers, and students. Currently he serves as Principal at the Special Programming for Achievement Network which was ranked the number one program of its kind in his state from 2014-present. Mr. Brooks intends to receive a master’s degree in Social Work so that he may continue to expand his abilities to better serve the community.

Session Description:

Has the past year left you feeling overwhelmed? You are not alone. Join your colleagues for an uplifting and highly energized session that will leave you feeling “full” of inspiration with utensils you need to get your appetite back to tackle a full plate. How To Eat An Elephant is an interactive presentation for all audiences.

TAM1: Strategic Productivity, Engagement, and Retention of Staff

Course Description:

Productivity, engagement, and retention of staff have long been seen as the “Bermuda Triangle” of healthcare, especially in the field of addiction treatment. Staff shortages, burnout, and turnover can plague an organization for years and cost a company at least 33% of that staff member’s annual salary to replace them. This presentation will focus on approaches that organizations can use to develop staff productivity, engagement, and retention in STRATEGIC ways. Participants should expect an engaging seminar, along with a re-grounding of the passion for people that led them to this field in the first place. The presentation will be focused specifically on providing deliverables that organizations and individuals can immediately implement into their programs to help develop strategic productivity, engagement, and retention of their staff. These deliverables will be focused on the model of Strategic Productivity (SP3O), including Building a Culture of Engagement; Attentive Supervision; Effective Systems and Operations; and Alignment. Organizational Culture will include a scientific study and definitions of Org. Culture, along with a discussion on effective leadership and listening to our workforce. Attentive Supervision will focus primarily on the important role that supervisors play in the success of their teams and the implementation of SP3O. Effective Systems & Operations will focus on developing systems/ops that work for the workforce and that help solve problems. We will discuss solutions as well as symptoms of systems/ops that work in reverse, thereby taxing the workforce’s abilities to operate with Strategic Productivity. Finally, Alignment will focus on getting your operations and people aligned to one purpose, passion, and presence. We will be utilizing several audience break-out sessions and participation activities throughout the presentation, including utilizing balloons to demonstrate building effective systems, ping pong balls to demonstrate attentive supervision, and an entire audience participation activity that will “make it rain.” The plan is to fully engage the audience, to fully envelop the participants in the theme of the presentation. The presentation will be conducted by Josh Nirella, who has held leadership positions in behavioral healthcare for the last 20 years, including the current President of PAATOD. The presentation will run 3 hours in length, with several opportunities for break-out sessions and question/answer segments to engage the audience. The target audience is behavioral healthcare leadership who have the ability to make organizational changes, along with clinicians and medical personnel, who have the ability to impact an organization’s vision/mission.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• apply specific deliverables that will impact employee engagement and retention;
• identify specific areas and/or processes within an organization that need enhanced/optimized for greater productivity; and
• develop specific tactics to bolster current processes/operations to create better engagement of staff and patients.

TAM2: Psychotropics and Pregnancy

Course Description:

With the recent changes in the states’ abortion laws, a new awareness for practitioners is necessary for when their patients are taking psychotropics. This presentation will update behavioral health professionals on the latest FDA guidelines concerning pregnancy and lactation risk categories for psychotropic medications. Discussions of antidepressant, antipsychotic, anxiolytic, and mood stabilizers’ birth defects and the safety of breastfeeding will be the focus of this course.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• become familiar with the major birth defects of various psychotropic classifications;
• develop a practical approach of patient education in discussing the use of psychotropic medication during pregnancy; and
• understand the safe use of psychotropic medication for the breastfeeding mother.

TAM4: Working with Families Who Have Lost and Still Love

With an increase in substance-related fatalities year over year, more and more family members of all types are experiencing the pain of losing someone they love. This course will walk through the clinical perspective of supporting grieving people and share learnings from hosting weekend-long grief workshops providing hope and healing to families who have experienced a substance-related loss.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• conceptualize clinically salient grief states and how to identify them;
• integrate grief programming into their clinical programs; and
• evaluate the impact of grief programming for internal insights.

TAM5: HIV/STIs: an Overview for the Substance Abuse/Mental Health Professional

Course Description:

This three-hour course will provide an overview of current developments in Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)/HIV diagnosis & management to the layperson/professional, especially those involved in the counseling & education of individuals living with a dual diagnosis, i.e., alcohol/drug addiction AND an STI, including HIV and/or HBV/HCV. Attendees will receive instruction on the nine most common STIs diagnosed in Alabama. Also, key Alabama laws regarding STIs/HIV will be discussed.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define/identify the following terms: abstinence, safer sex, risk reduction, HIV, AIDS, STI/STD, nPEP, PrEP;
• conduct a brief, accurate and sensitive assessment of an individual’s sexual risk-taking behavior; and
• discuss the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment for the following STIs: HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, bacterial vaginosis, venereal warts, viral hepatitis, and pubic lice; and
• review risk reduction/behavior change theories and models as they relate to STI/HIV infection.

TAM6: Creative/Collaborative Strategies for Rural Alabama Communities to Address the Mental Health Crisis

Course Description:

This course will provide an overview of the process to identify and address the mental health and law enforcement needs in rural Alabama communities. You will have the opportunity to learn from leaders of the Clay County Law Enforcement Agencies and the Clay County Children’s Policy Council about the collaborative efforts they utilized to create and put in place a Law Enforcement Mental Health Liaison position within their rural community.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• utilize an online needs assessment and identify 3 unique needs of their community;
• develop an action plan to address the identified needs;
• identify key organizations/individuals within the community;
• organize a round table discussion session; and
• facilitate a round table discussion session.

TAM7: Mental Health and Wellness in Nurses and Healthcare Workers

Course Description:

As COVID-19 emerged, healthcare workers found themselves in unprecedented situations related to the increase in patients, acuity, risk to themselves, and changing safety requirements. This has been shown to have a large effect on the mental health and wellness of healthcare workers. This presentation examines what is mental health and wellness in TAM05: HIV/STIs: an Overview for the Substance Abuse/Mental Health Professional TAM06: Creative/Collaborative Strategies for Rural Alabama Communities to Address the Mental Health Crisis TAM07: Mental Health and Wellness in Nurses and Healthcare Workers healthcare workers today. It looks at recent surveys, studies, or articles written by organizations including by Mental Health America about the increase in things such as stress, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, loneliness and powerlessness in healthcare workers. It also discusses the increase in rates of Pandemic Fatigue, Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Suicide Rates in healthcare workers. It has approximately 23 references and looks at multiple reports or articles form organizations or experts such as the American Psychological Association, Scientific America, Global Wellness Institute, and more. When doing this review, we learned important statistics, for example in one survey conducted from June-September 2020, 55.14% of the healthcare workers surveyed were questioning their career path and 52.19% reported having Compassion Fatigue. These same healthcare workers reported that only 27.7% felt hopeful and 19.66% felt pride. These are important statistics for regulatory agencies and healthcare associations to hear. Challenges faced included that this is an evolving situation and the studies looking at it are relatively new. Long term mental health effects on healthcare workers may not be completely realized yet. Many healthcare workers express a decline in their mental health and wellness since the pandemic started. These studies, though focused on healthcare in the United states, are issues that are being felt around the world. Healthcare workers are expressing similar effects of stress and concern globally. This can increase concerns for regulatory bodies, employers, and the healthcare workers themselves, related to increase in substance use or mental health concerns that would prevent the healthcare worker’s ability to provide safe care. It also can cause decrease in the number of healthcare workers in the field which can be concerning for the lack of enough workers to cover the number of patients who need care. These are important issues to be aware of and to find ways to assist our healthcare workers with their mental health and wellness.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• describe mental health and mental wellness;
• discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of and suicide prevalence in healthcare workers; and
• summarize mental health concerns among healthcare workers that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19.

TAM8: Taking Care of the Caregivers: Identifying and Preventing Compassion Fatigue in the Peer Work Force

Course Description:

Individuals who work with vulnerable populations that have experienced trauma experience Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). Without intervention, STS results in compassion fatigue, which in turn leads to burn out. This didactic and experiential session will increase participants awareness related to why Peer Support Workers are especially vulnerable to compassion fatigue. Participants will explore the causes and contributing factors of compassion fatigue. Additionally, it will allow participants to explore skills and lifestyle changes they can use to reduce the impact of compassion fatigue and promote compassion satisfaction.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify what behavioral traits place peers at higher risk for compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress;
• list 3 of the things that individuals can do to prevent and reverse compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress; and
• define compassion satisfaction.

TAM9: From Grief to Gratitude: Finding Hope in Recovery

Course Description:

Grief is defined as the normal process of reacting to a loss. Though there are a wide variety of losses that can lead to grief, there are also many commonalities in how we experience it and how we begin the healing process. This training is designed to explore various types of loss, aspects of grief, and pathways to healing. Specific attention will be given to the process of grieving as it relates to substance use disorders, and participants will gain practical tools for assisting those struggling with grief and bereavement.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify diverse types of loss and common experiences related to each;
• explore differing models of the grief process;
• examine the specific impact of grief on substance use disorders and recovery; and
• gain practical tools to assist others in healing following loss.

TAM10: The BIG PITCH: Prevention, Recovery, & Treatment SHARK TANK!

Course Description:

Having the opioid crisis raging forward, new synthetic drugs like fentanyl being pushed to users, and chronic stress being induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, 2023 brings a unique set of challenges for the dedicated drug preventionist, treatment providers, and recovery partners who work with people struggling with addiction. The Mexican Cartel has gone as far as changing the colors and shapes of dangerous drugs to appeal more to the young adult and teen community. Creative strategies have been weaved together by dealers nationwide, getting these substances in the hands of the most vulnerable community members, they’ve mastered their “pitch”. Thus, to successfully reach the same community, coalitions, organizations, and other entities must effectively and creatively market and pitch their work on a dime-size budget. This “Shark Tank” designed session will prepare you to use basic marketing strategies to increase community support, involvement, and engagement. Get ready to make the “BIG PITCH” and win even BIGGER PRIZES from our local Sharks.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• analyze their current outreach efforts within the prevention, recovery, and treatment community and enhance them using targeted marketing strategies;
• construct marketing strategies that are culturally relevant and culturally competent; and
• explain the psychology of marketing, and how to use creative techniques to attract and strategically engage their community.

TPM1: Recovery Residences: Is it a Very, Very, Very Fine House?

Course Description:

Recovery residences are vital to recovery-oriented systems of care. The social model of recovery is foundational and often blended with behavioral health treatment. This training overviews the National Alliance for Recovery Residences’ Standard as implemented by the Alabama Alliance of Recovery Residences. Come learn best practices for operators and allies.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify five aspects of the foundational social model of recovery that distinguish recovery residences from other housing types;
• distinguish among key operational elements that are applied across NARR’s four Recovery Residence Levels;
• recognize the four domains and 11 principles in the NARR Standard for Recovery Residences that are addressed by the AARR when certifying recovery residences; and
• discuss three collaboration best practices for recovery residence operators and allied organizations including a Personal Recovery, Individual Development and Expectations (PRIDE) Monthly Progress Report and an Overnight Recovery Exploration Outing Request (OREO) for allies.

TPM2: Ethics: History and Applied Ethical Dilemmas

Course Description:

Overview of the history of ethics, development of professional ethics, impact on society, implications for treatment providers, and discussion of real-life scenarios.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• illustrate the historical and foundational basis of ethics, common terms, and theory;
• evaluate the provider’s responsibility to the client, including the importance of goodness of fit, counselor competence, confidentiality, and informed consent; and
• evaluate the provider’s responsibility to self in order set appropriate boundaries, roles of the counselor, social media issues, self-disclosure, and power differentials.

TPM3: Basics of Opioid Pharmacology

Course Description:

This course will discuss basic principles of opioid pharmacology, including receptor mechanisms, drug distribution, metabolism, main therapeutic indications, and pharmacokinetics.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify the main types of opioid receptors/endogenous opioids;
• explain the mechanism of action of opioid agonists, partial and mixed agonist/antagonists, and antagonists;
• describe the main effects and therapeutic uses of opioid antagonists;
• describe the major features of the analgesic effect of opioids;
• illustrate tolerance and explain its effects on opioids;
• compare the main differences between the opioid prototype, morphine, and other opioid drugs;
• describe the main adverse effects of opioids as a class, and main contraindications to the use of opioids; and
• discuss the drug interactions between specific opioids and serotonergic agents.

TPM4: Say Her Name: AOD, Justice Involved, and Health Equity for Women

Course Description:

This presentation will explore the opportunities and challenges in the context of Alcohol Other Drugs (AOD) Gender Specific Treatment and women involved with Justice Involved System. These concepts will be examined through the lens of maternal health concerns impacting women with co-occurring disorders. This experiential course will focus on evidence- based strategies, resources, and national efforts to help support women. This presentation will focus on solutions to bring about systemic change in the form of women and equity in behavioral health care systems.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define Gender Specific Treatment in Behavioral Health Care and Justice Involved Systems;
• describe equity challenges for women with co-occurring disorders through the lens of maternal health care;
• give examples of solutions for treatment providers to provide more equitable care; and
• identify evidence-based strategies, resources, and data provided through S AMHSA and other systems to support women services.

TPM5: There’s No Harm in Harm Reduction

Course Description:

This course will discuss the importance of harm reduction in relation to substance use and HIV.  This course will also discuss the importance of discussing harm reduction strategies with clients who may be in the pre-contemplation stage of change. The course will examine several of the strategies that are being implemented in the Birmingham Metro area, how to discuss harm reduction with your clients and the stigma that comes with harm reduction.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• evaluate harm reduction strategies and select the best fit to their clients;
• identify the stigma that surrounds harm reduction and other barriers to harm reduction; and
• recognize the importance of harm reduction in relation to substance use and infectious diseases.

TPM6: Current Opioid Trends

Course Description:

The opioid epidemic continues to be a serious national public health issue causing addiction (Opioid Use Disorder), overdoses and overdose-related deaths. We will cover the emerging history of the opioid epidemic which started roughly around 1999 and has been described as occurring in three waves since then. The State of Alabama was declared in 2015 as number #1 nationwide concerning the opioid epidemic and it was then that a collaborative effort began to address the epidemic in Alabama. The current prescribed opioids of abuse shall be discussed as well as other prescribed medication that is not being abused by those with OUD. We will address law enforcement efforts to help combat the epidemic and more importantly, we shall discuss collaborative efforts between medical personnel, first responders, mental health, and substance use treatment providers along with community-based programs to address the ever-changing dynamics of this epidemic to prevent future OUD’s, overdoses, and deaths.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify currents Opioids of abuse effecting communities;
• describe the effects of Opioid abuse on abuse of other controlled medication; and
• explain the importance of collaboration between agencies gov./private to combat the Opioid problem on local, state, and national levels.

TPM7: Integrating Diabetes Education into Recovery Support Services

Course Description:

Studies show many individuals in recovery are living with co-morbid conditions. In this presentation, COSA staff will discuss the interventions used and data outcomes collected from a recovery program addressing diabetes and substance use disorders.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define co-morbidity and identify common risk factors substance use disorder (SUD) and diabetes;
• assess the co-morbid needs of individuals with SUD and diabetes; and
• create written recovery plans for co-morbid individuals with SUD and diabetes.

Music and the Brain in Recovery

Speaker: John McAndrew

Speaker Bio:

John McAndrew’s music has been heard around the world, and at many National Events. While touring, he has performed for and worked with Recovery audiences for over 30 years. His CD, “Forgiven” released in 2016, was in Grammy Consideration three times in the Roots Gospel Category. His newest CD project “Walking Back” has received critical acclaim. He co-hosted along with WestBridge CEO Mary Woods the “One Hour at a Time” Radio Show on “Voice of America” for several years. He is a contributor to the US Journal of Science, writing articles on the benefits of Music in Recovery. He currently is a Recovery Music Specialist / Therapist and Music Services Co-Ordinator at Cumberland Heights, Nashville, TN, providing individual and group therapy. He also helped develop and launch the “Music Professionals Program” at Cumberland Heights.

Session Description:

Singer/songwriter and piano player John McAndrew takes us on a musical and spiritual journey from self-centeredness to humility, using stories and songs. This journey is a long and difficult one in recovery. Recent studies show us that music can reach the parts of the brain that are linked to addiction and can function as an integral part of recovery. This experiential session demonstrates how music and music therapy can be applied in a variety of treatment settings to bring about therapeutic change. We will discuss the brain in simple terms and how it is affected by music. New research and new evidence about the power of music. The scientific evidence.

WAM1: The Self in Shame: Healing the Wounds of Substance Use Disorders

Course Description:

We all feel shame. For some, shame can have a detrimental impact on the sense of self, interfering with healthy mental and emotional function. Hear from a leading expert on the many types of shame, strategies to prevent unhealthy shame cycles during recovery, and ways in which behavioral health practitioners can apply knowledge about unhealthy and healthy shame when assisting patients with their recovery.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• distinguish among the following terms: healthy shame, unhealthy shame, guilt, and stigma;
• summarize how feelings related to shame can impact the treatment of substance use disorders and the recovery process; and
• describe how behavioral health practitioners can use the principles of healthy and unhealthy shame in assisting patients who are in recovery or struggling with the disease of substance use disorders.

WAM2: Ethics and Confidentiality: Assessing my Expertise in this Domain

Course Description:

This course will review ethical standards for addiction and mental health professionals and addresses the responsibilities of a professional working in these fields. Case studies and vignettes will be used to teach ethical decision-making models and to give the participants opportunities to share and discuss ethical dilemmas in the workplace.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• participate in a self-assessment to decipher the professional’s expertise in this arena and proper benchmark knowledge;
• review the ethical terms used in various settings for many different healthcare issues;
• compare and contrast a variety of Ethics Codes for counselors, substance abuse professionals and social workers i.e., Alabama Counseling Code of Ethics, NBCC Code of Ethics, ICRC & NAADAC Codes and the Social Work Codes;
• learn the common ethical breaches which intrude on professionals and how to cope or report these dilemmas to protect client’s confidentiality; and
• participate in case studies will be used in small groups to learn and discuss ethical dilemmas which arise.

WAM3: Bridging the Gap: Attacking Stigma, Barriers and Patient Centered Treatment

Course Description:

Alabama’s Provider Capacity Project (APCP) proposes to increase substance abuse provider treatment capacity by creating a pipeline to expand provider participation options. The goal is to decrease the extent of health disparities particularly related to substance use disorders (SUD).  This project places great emphasis on promoting the principles of a whole person integrated care, a continuum of care, and seamless coordinated care systems. The primary strategy is to develop and implement best practices to reduce the morbidity and mortality of SUD through improving patient care by maintaining and improving knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding SUD.  The stigma associated with SUD often impedes this integrated approach for better care.  Stigma is a well-documented barrier to engagement in a variety of healthcare services, including substance use treatment.  This training will provide an insightful and dynamic intersection into three distinct areas: women’s lived experiences of being pregnant and having SUDS, intersectional stigma faced by drug-using Black women living in the Deep South alongside the experiences of their providers, and opioid agonist therapy (OAT) stigma among patients and how their perceptions of OAT may affect their treatment experience.  Scholarly literature point to an exacerbation of risks by co-occurring factors such as medical and other forms of stigma, unequal access to care, criminal justice involvement, and substance misuse, resulting in barriers to treatment provision and care.  Medical and non-medical staff should be aware and trained to avoid contributing to stigma in clinical settings.  Training attendees will be asked to engage in practical, self-reflection exercises as well as to brainstorm ways to improve care for populations with SUDs within their own practice/profession/ and/or community.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• recognize treatment and other forms of stigma faced by drug-using Black women in the criminal justice system, from both the consumer and provider perspective;
• recognize the negative consequences of stigma on treatment engagement and care;
• identify ways to reduce treatment barriers and enhance care;
• recognize the intersectional and life history factors associated with SUDs in pregnancy;
• describe how a comprehensive care team, that includes non-clinical providers, can improve the quality of care and outcomes for these populations;
• apply what they’ve learned about pregnant and postpartum populations with SUDs to their own practice/profession;
• define the different types of stigma as it relates to opioid agonist therapy;
• recognize various manifestations of stigma related to OAT; and
• identify actionable steps and approaches to reducing OAT-related stigma in clinical settings.

WAM4: Medication Assisted Treatment and Pregnancy

Course Description:

This course is designed to educate counselors on the most effective treatment for mothers’ dependent on opiates. Medication-assisted treatment has been accepted as the appropriate course of treatment for women dependent on opiates while pregnant. However, buprenorphine is becoming another form of treatment taken under consideration. In contrast, morphine or methadone remains the standard of care for newborns who experience neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). Newborns can experience an array of physical withdrawal, consistently occurring together or a combination of symptoms like chills and severe crying. The Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System is the typical scoring system used to evaluate and monitor newborns to determine if pharmacology treatment is an appropriate level of care.     

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• understand the effectiveness of methadone with opiate-dependent women who are pregnant;
• identify and understand neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS); and
• understand the application of the Finnegan Scoring system and its effectiveness in the treatment of NAS.

WAM5: An Overview of Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorders

Course Description:

Healthcare providers in the mental health, substance use disorders, and medical fields are familiar with and recognize the necessity of enforcing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the law that regulates the use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) held by “covered entities” such as health plans. (Awad, 2013). Far fewer healthcare providers are as knowledgeable of the special privacy protection that is granted to individuals who are diagnosed with Substance Use Disorders. “The 42 CFR Part 2 applies to any individual or entity that is federally assisted and holds itself out as providing, and provides, alcohol or drug abuse diagnosis, treatment or referral for treatment (42 CFR § 2.11).” (Awad, 2013)

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define and explain the purpose of 42CFR Part 2 regulations;
• explain the difference between HIPAA and 42CFR Part 2 laws and why there is a need for extra protection for individuals diagnosed with substance use disorders;
• identify 2 to 3 reasons why limited circumstances information about a patient’s treatment may be disclosed with and without the patient’s consent;
• distinguish the necessity of understanding the role and responsibilities of The Legal Action Center (LAC) in protecting individuals’ rights and criminal penalties for non-adherence to these regulations; and
• Healthcare workers will become familiar with updated 42 CFR CARES ACT changes.

WAM6: Gambling Compulsivity and Addiction

Course Description:

This course will provide an overview of selected current research and clinical interventions for helping clients address compulsive gambling behavior.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• gain an overview of the etiology of problematic gambling behavior, including a review of psychological factors and physiological mechanisms which lead to, and reinforce, compulsive behaviors;
• acquire knowledge about research findings regarding the efficacy of various treatment model outcome; and
• understand systemic factor of therapeutic treatment with clients who desire to modify problematic gambling behavior.

WAM8: Wellness Informed Recovery Support

Course Description:

Providing trauma-informed services and supports is an expectation in today’s evolving heath care and social support systems. Our understanding of personal and community wellness, combined with practical approaches to promoting resilience, undergirds our shared work across complex systems to be “wellness-informed”. By weaving clinical, peer, adjunctive, and complimentary services and supports together, we are better able to meet the needs of individuals working on their recovery. This training will explore the Eight Dimensions of Wellness adopted by SAMHSA and the importance of addressing social determinants of health that heavily influence personal well-being. Helping individuals increase personal recovery capital requires an approach that is both art and science. The training goal is to enhance and improve what we are doing now to deliver “wellness-informed” services and supports. Time will also be spent completing a “gallery walk” to better engage attendees in solutioning.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify the Eight Dimensions of Wellness;
• explain the interface between the Eight Dimensions and social determinants of health as it impacts personal well-being;
• understand and apply four practical ways to increase personal recovery capital through decision support and
  wellness planning; and
• describe three strategies to improve access to continuums of services and supports that promote personal wellbeing.

WAM9: Understanding Co-Occurring Disorders

Course Description:

This training course aims to examine how clinicians can work most effectively with clients with co-occurring disorders. Clinicians are to understand how and why to perform and complete a comprehensive assessment to make an accurate diagnosis, and to use evidence-based, integrated approaches to treatment. Clinicians are to conceptualize and understand psychiatric disorders and substance use disorders as primary conditions when both co-exist. 

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define the scope of co-occurring disorders among adolescents and adults;
• identify and understand the principles of co-occurring assessment;
• understand and apply the transtheoretical model of change to the assessment and the treatment of co-occurring disorders;
• understand and apply the principles of Motivational Interviewing (MI) as it relates to the treatment of co-occurring disorders;
• identify, understand, and review evidence-based practices for the treatment of co-occurring disorders; and
• develop an integrated treatment plan for individuals receiving treatment for co-occurring disorders through the stages of change and individual goals.

WAM10: Substance Use Disorders in Challenging, Changing Times

Course Description:

Substance Use Disorders are challenging to navigate in even the best of times.  When circumstances are changing and uncertain, however, they pose some significant, unique challenges.   During this season of monumental shifts and transitions, substance use and substance use disorders have been and will be impacted.  This session will briefly explore some of the unique challenges we currently face, how past substance use responses to crisis can inform our current circumstances, and the responses of the prevention, treatment, and recovery communities as we all seek to adjust to the changing times in which we are serving.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify the impact of stress on substance use and substance use disorders;
• verbalize how substance use has been impacted by times of crisis in the past; and
• discuss how our current circumstances have impacted SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

WPM1: What are Gas Station Drugs, Their Dangerous Impacts, and Recovery Mechanisms from their Devastating Effects

Course Description:

“Gas Station Drugs” are non-prescription drugs of abuse commonly sold at gas stations, convenience stores, or on the Internet. Most are sold without regulations regarding their production or distribution. This presentation will consist of a three (3) part series that will discuss the current list of various herbal and pharmaceutical products known as “gas station drugs” and their pharmacological profiles to include their dangerous adverse drug effects.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• develop a vocabulary of the current herbal and pharmaceutical drugs known as the gas station drugs;
• gain an understanding of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of Phenibut, Tianeptine, Kratom, Ketamine, and Delta 8;
• comprehend the severe adverse drug effects of Phenibut, Tianeptine, Kratom, Ketamine, and Delta 8; and
• review the emergency procedures to manage an overdose of Phenibut and Tianeptine.

WPM2: Using Motivational Interviewing to Work Effectively with Clients who Self-Sabotage and Exhibit Resistance to Change

Course Description:

Motivational Interviewing- a three-hour course which addresses the foundational elements and the spirit of Motivational Interviewing. This workshop is designed for practitioners with moderate exposure to MI and who will learn to build an engaging atmosphere for client change and autonomy for the client to achieve healthy recovery. This course will help practitioners to create awareness regarding client ambivalence, discordant interactions and to teach the MI principles and strategies to enhance their professional skills.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• learn and understand how MI as an evidence- based practice can yield better client outcomes;
• gain knowledge of the four processes and OARS skills of MI to create a landscape for client change;
• explore ways to recognize, elicit, and respond to change talk to improve treatment outcomes;
• practice specific ways to help clients resolve ambivalence which may lead to create intrinsic buy-in towards healthy choices;
• explore clinical strategies for working effectively with clients who seem “resistant” to change;
• gain knowledge of applications for MI with a variety of client populations; and
• use role-plays to practice to techniques and principles of MI to enhance clinical skills to become a more effective practitioner.

WPM3: What would you do? Decision Making Strategies for Ethical Dilemma Strategies

Course Description:

This lively workshop will offer a variety of pedagogical approaches and tools (lecture, group case scenarios and discussions of ethical issues in the workplace, role playing, etc.) to increase the skill set of mental health professionals from a practical application of ethical standards in the workplace. This workshop will cover the updates on recent NASW and LPCA codes of ethics to include Telemental health. Participants will gain problem solving skills as they learn the various types of best practice decision making ethical models that will help them seek solutions to ethical problems (staff and clients). Participants will also understand key ethical procedures and processes that is needed in healthcare organizations to resolve workplace ethical issues and learn situations to avoid that can possibly lead to potential ethical issues in the workplace.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify 2 to 3 recent ethics codes changes with the NASW and LPCA Associations;
• learn key Telemental health ethics codes that apply to this method of treatment;
• identify 2 to 3 common ethical dilemmas that occur in the workplace with staff and individuals receiving services in organizations;
• explain the dos and don’ts of ethics in the workplace;
• identify and explain necessary procedures and processes organizations need to have in place to address healthcare providers and clients’ ethical issues;
• explain who needs to be involved in ethical investigations and decisions in the workplace and the rationale;
• learn 1 to 2 Best Practice Decision Making Models steps to follow when seeking resolutions to ethical dilemmas; and
• utilize the use of case scenarios, group discussions, and a YouTube video will be utilized to help participants learn how to use various Best Practice Decision Making Models to help them with finding solutions to ethical issues..

WPM4: An Introduction to Ethics Prevention Standards

Course Description:

This session is designed specifically for the substance use and misuse prevention professional, and it fulfills half of the Certified Prevention Specialist credential ethics requirement. The principles in the Prevention Code of Ethical Conduct convey the prevention professional’s recognition of responsibilities to the public, service recipients and colleagues.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify standards of conduct for prevention professionals;
• set professional goals with prevention ethics standards in mind; and
• utilize a method of decision-making for difficult ethical situations in prevention.

WPM5: Finding the “Fun” in DysFUNuction: Working with Families of Addiction

Course Description:

This course will provide participants with an overview of the biology of addiction and codependency, including an easy-to-understand model of the neurological reactions that result from the maladaptive patterns seen in the disease of addiction and codependent family members.  This overview aids in understanding the common issues that present among those with addiction and their family members, which will be identified and discussed. Finally, participants will be learning and engaging in various practical strategies and interventions to address these issues, including worksheets, discussion guides, family “games” and other interactive tools that can be utilized in a variety of clinical settings.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• describe the biological and social connection between Codependency and Addiction;
• Identify how this connection impacts the most common presenting issues among families of addiction (i.e., trust, communication, dysfunctional roles, boundaries, etc.); and
• utilize a variety of interactive interventions and clinical strategies to address these issues.

WPM6: Intervention Strategies for Helping “High-Risk” Clients

Course Description:

This course will address ethical protocols and intervention strategies for helping clients who present with potentially life-threatening issues such as Substance Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence, and Suicidal Ideation.  This presentation will review selected clinical outcome research and the efficacy of various intervention methods for stabilizing clients who are in acute crisis.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• acquire and overview of selected research finding concerning “high-risk” client populations;
• gain an increased understanding of various theoretical models and clinical interventions for bringing about stability and desired change; and
• apply intervention protocols in response to potentially life-threatening issues in therapy.

WPM7: Ethical Considerations and Cultural Competency for Substance Abuse Providers

Course Description:

Ethics are generally regarded as the standards that govern the conduct of a person.  They are guidelines for professional behavior that are developed to protect the profession, the professional, the client, and society. High-quality clinical care, grounded in genuine empathy and alliance building, is the best form of malpractice prevention. It is the responsibility of the agency to train, educate and demonstrate good ethical guidelines. In workplaces, employees want to avoid any behavior or choices that could potentially harm the client or the agency. This could be a mark against the employee’s reputation, integrity, and trustworthiness in the eyes of management.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define ethics and gain an understanding of the agency’s ethical responsibilities;
• identify possible ethical and legal issues within substance abuse treatment facilities; and
• demonstrate working knowledge of cultural competency and the benefits of this practice.

WPM8: Worlds Apart: What Works in Adolescent Treatment and Why

Course Description:

Sometimes adolescents can seem as though they come from an entirely different world, and in some regards, they do!  There has been a wealth of recent discoveries about adolescent development and learning.  Unfortunately, there is frequently a disconnect between what we know works best with adolescents and the treatment modalities we use when working with them.  This session reviews recent research and discoveries and explores how to best apply that knowledge to effectively treat adolescents with a strong emphasis on practical application.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify the fundamental developmental task of adolescence, why knowing this task matters, and how to leverage it effectively in prevention, intervention, and treatment;
• verbalize the vulnerabilities particular to adolescent development related to substance use;
• articulate an understanding of the role of family, support systems, and traditional and social media in adolescence and how to help build support for the adolescents we serve; and
• experience techniques designed to enhance engagement with adolescents.

WPM9: Prevention Education through Coalition Building & Community Involvement

Course Description:

Assessing community readiness, in particular, helps prevention professionals determine whether the time is right and whether there is social momentum towards addressing the issue or issues they hope to tackle. Community readiness is just as important in addressing community needs as having tangible resources in place. Evaluation is the systematic collection and analysis of information about program activities, characteristics, and outcomes. Providers should ensure the sustainability of prevention outcomes by building stakeholder support for your program, showing and sharing results, and obtaining steady funding.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify opiate and other substance misuse related barriers within their communities;
• evaluate by collecting and analyzing information from programming and their outcomes; and
• differentiate the six CSAP strategies: Environmental, Community-Based, Problem Identification and Referral, Information Dissemination, Education and Alternatives.

WPM10: Vital An Integrated Healthcare Approach

Course Description:

This session will introduce participants to the SBIRT Model and Alabama Vital Initiative. Participants will gain the information, tools, skills, and resources to identify and assist patients who present in a primary care or other setting who are at risk for moderate or potentially excessive use of alcohol or other drugs and whose substance use is causing or exacerbating poor health conditions. Participants will learn best practices for service delivery and workflow for integrated healthcare implementation.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• describe the SBIRT Model and Alabama Vital initiative;
• identify the systems that are needed to adopt a tiered service delivery model; and
• discuss the process and workflow of integrated healthcare implementation.

A Practitioner’s Guide To Medication Assisted Treatments for Alcohol Use Disorder

Speaker: Dr. Merrill Norton and Maddie Marsh

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 to include 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 the substance use disordered patient and the neuroscience of substance use disorders. Since his recent retirement from UGA, Dr. Norton’s primary focus is 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.

Maddie Marsh is completing the third year of her doctor in pharmacy program at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy and plans to graduate in May 2023. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Georgia in 2017. She has a passion for substance use disorders, particularly the role of education in empowering people in their recovery. Maddie currently works as a pharmacy intern at Alliance Recovery Center where she works with counselors, nurses, and physicians to provide patient-centered care in Medication Assisted Treatment. During her time in pharmacy school, she has been a student of, worked alongside, and presented with her mentor Dr. Merrill Norton. She plans to continue the work in substance use disorders and pharmacy started by Dr. Norton in her pharmacy career.

Session Description:

In the Treatment of alcohol use disorder, 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.

THAM1: Clinical Pearls of the Pharmacotherapy of Alcohol Use Disorders: Detoxification, Anti-Craving, and Deterrence

Course Description:

Alcohol use disorder (AUD), commonly called alcoholism, affected 6.2% of people in the United States age 18 and older in 2015 and is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [NIAAA], 2018). Despite the psychological and social trauma AUD causes, early symptoms are often ignored when treatment is most effective. The medications used to manage the different modalities of the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder include detoxification, deterrence, and anti-craving. This presentation is a summary of a systematic review evaluating the evidence regarding the efficacy, comparative effectiveness, and adverse effects of these medications in adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• demonstrate current medication applications of the detoxification of alcohol use disorder (AUD);
• comprehend the rationale for the use of deterrence medications in the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD);
• learn the explanation and application for the use of anti-craving medications for alcohol use disorder (AUD).

THAM2: Ethics and Confidentiality for Peer Specialist

Course Description:

This is a three-hour course which specifically addresses ethical and confidentiality guidelines in the workplace for Recovery Coaches, Advocates and Peer Support Specialists (PSS). This role carries unique responsibilities and responses when working with clients.  Ethical dilemmas will be presented and practiced through role-plays and the Ethical Decision-Making Model. Certain roadblocks and obstacles occur when working as a recovery specialist and will be discussed both didactically and in small group activities.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• review of the core values of peer support;
• address specific ethical dilemmas while in the role of PSS will be learned and practiced
• sharing one’s personal recovery journey will be described in the context of ethical boundaries which further the client’s knowledge and recovery path;
• learn how to offer support and assistance to clients will be described in the context of healthy boundaries between the PSS and client; and
• review NAADAC and ICRC Peer Code of Ethics.

THAM3: Integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Substance Abuse Disorder

Course Description:

The purpose of this webinar is to support the education and skill development for professionals who work with people with substance use disorders (SUDS). Building on our previous training and knowledge that addiction is a neurological‐biological‐behavioral chronic health condition, we will integrate the existing knowledge of the addiction field to support addiction treatment along a continuum of care. The training will focus on cognitive behavioral, mindfulness, acceptance, and commitment therapeutic techniques specific for treating SUDS.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify five aspects of the social model of recovery;
• explore ways to change traditional treatment models to adapt to the neuroscience and research to treat substance use disorders as chronic health conditions;
• utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) integrated with Motivational Interviewing approaches and tools to help clients identify, manage, and develop skills to control behaviors associated with cravings and triggers and support personal recovery plans; and
• learn to implement evidenced‐based short‐term interventions to treat and address SUDs while supporting personal recovery and relapse prevention.

THAM4: Trauma-Informed Clinical Best Practices

Course Description:

In a trauma-informed organization, the clinical and peer work force ensures trauma-informed clinical best practices address the effects associated with trauma while honoring the core principles of trauma-informed care.  It is an organization’s clinical work that gets to the core of shifting the focus from What is wrong with you to What happened to you.  Participants will explore the many facets of providing trauma-informed clinical best practices, key components to trauma-informed clinical practice, core competencies of a trauma-informed practitioner, and what it means to apply trauma-informed principles across all stages of treatment.  Learn about trauma-specific, evidence-based, and emerging best practices, including interventions focused on the mind/body connection.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• be aware of trauma-informed practitioner core competencies;
• increase understanding of how to apply trauma-informed principles across all stages of treatment, from universal screening through treatment planning and discharge;
• explore key components to trauma-informed clinical practice, including support network involvement, consumer voice and choice, wellness and crisis prevention and coordination of care;
• explore trauma-specific, evidence-based and emerging best practices; and
• increase understanding of the body/mind connection and how approaches focused in this area can be critical to healing and recovery.

THAM5: Practicing Alcohol Moderation in a Post-Pandemic World

Course Description:

The COVID-19 Pandemic has contributed to drastic increases in drinking, leading unprecedented numbers of people seeking treatment with the abstinence model not always being the right kind of help. Pre-pandemic, over 90 million people in the United States struggled with alcohol use but were not physically dependent. Most programs are designed for the severe alcohol user, encompassing about 17 million people, leaving the majority experiencing problems from alcohol without appropriate services. The traditional recommendation for drinkers experiencing problems remains admitting that they are “alcoholics” who must quit drinking forever, attending 12-step meetings, and admitting powerlessness. With the numbers of people suffering from alcohol use disorders likely to continue growing and the DSM-5 now viewing substance use disorders on a spectrum, behavioral healthcare providers need to have resources that are appropriate for all levels of alcohol use. There is over 50 years of research that supports the harm reduction strategy of alcohol moderation as an effective treatment modality. Upon completion, attendees will be able to: describe why harm reduction is an effective treatment option for most alcohol users, predict who is a candidate for alcohol moderation using the Alcohol Moderation Assessment, develop and monitor an Alcohol Moderation Plan, and utilize alcohol moderation tools. Participants will walk away with tangible tools and experience a paradigm shift in how we treat people with drug and alcohol problems.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• describe harm reduction’s core concepts and why it is a controversial topic;
• identify who is a candidate for alcohol moderation using the Alcohol Moderation Assessment;
• develop and monitor an Alcohol Moderation Plan; and
• utilize harm reduction and alcohol moderation techniques.

THAM6: Brief Negotiated Interview 101: Exploring Behavior Change

Course Description:

This session will introduce participants to Motivational Interviewing and the Brief Negotiated Interview (BNI). Participants will understand the principals of motivational interviewing and how to apply to BNI. The BNI helps healthcare providers explore behavior change with patients in a respectful, non-judgmental way in a limited period. This session will provide the skills necessary to develop competency in a successful BNI.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• describe the brief negotiated interview model;
• identify the evidenced-based practice model of brief intervention, the brief negotiated interview (BNI);
• interpret the principals of motivational interviewing and how to apply to BNI; and
• apply and practice application of BNI to patient engagement.

THAM7: Using Media in Prevention: A Case Study

Course Description:

This course will discuss communication tools and strategies to effectively communicate community messaging through different media outlets. We’ll take a deeper look at social media platforms and discuss the strengths and challenges of each one when using as a communication tool. 

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• determine the best platform to communicate messaging based on who they’re intended target is.
• develop a communication plan for their organization for both relationships building as well as critical outreach.
• recognize the importance being able to communicate with their community consistently and in times of great adversity.

THAM8: Navigating the Pathway to Recovery with Innovation, One Click at a Time

Course Description:

Opioid overdoses are occurring at an increased rate across the country and Alabama is not exempt.  According to the CDC in 2020, drug overdoses increased more than 20% in Alabama, placing this state as one of the top 25 states with the highest increase in drug overdoses. As individuals overdose and present to the emergency department, there is a critical window of opportunity where patients may be receptive to treatment and recovery services, via peer support. It is during this short period of time, where PeerRx can be of great benefit to both the patient and emergency department staff. PeerRX is a system that allows a peer to be located in under 10 minutes with the click of a button. Jefferson County recently implemented PeerRX in several hospitals. Join us to learn more about how this innovative technology can serve as a bridge to treatment for patients, increase capacity for hospital staff, and position your hospital to be a champion for recovery!

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• understand the value of peer support specialists;
• discuss the barriers to recovery from SUD and how peer support can help; and
• discuss innovations used in Alabama to fight the crisis and connect recent overdosed patients to immediate care.

THAM9: Infusing Equity Into Your Prevention Work

Course Description:

This course will introduce concepts of equity, diversity and inclusion and their importance in the field of prevention. In this session, we will define terms that are essential to the discussion, as well as discuss the roots of how inequities are formed. We will explore what populations are most impacted by health inequities and discuss the process of conducting a needs assessment to identify health inequities. Finally, we will explore the role that prevention professionals can play to assess inequities and help lower disparities while promoting a more equitable environment.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• recognize how health disparities and other inequities play a role in behavioral health and substance use/misuse;
• define terminology linked to the discussion of health equity;
• understand their individual responsibility in the goal of attaining equity; and
• explore how to infuse health equity concepts into your needs assessment.

THAM10: Understanding Peer Supervision: What You didn’t Learn in Graduate School

Course Description:

Routinely, the individuals who supervise Peer Support Specialists are Clinicians.  They have formal training supervising clinicians, not peers.  The man qualification to be a peer support specialist is lived experience.  Peers require more specific supervision due to the work they do. In most cases, unfortunately, people who supervise peers are not familiar with a Recovery -Oriented system of care or the role peers are designed to play in the recovery process. This overview of supervising peers will help individuals providing supervision of peers do so more effectively and improve the quality of the services peers provide.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• list a minimum of three things which differentiate a recovery-oriented system of care (ROSC) from the current model of addiction treatment;
• articulate the role peers are intended to play in a recovery-oriented system; and
• list at least three things that differentiate supervising clinicians from supervising peers.

THPM1: DSM-5 and Substance Use Disorders Diagnosis

Course Description:

This webinar will provide an in‐depth review of the eleven diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders. We will explore the changes in criteria from DSM‐IV to DSM‐5 and how these changes align with the current neurobiological understanding of addiction. In addition, we will explore the shift to diagnosing substance use disorders across a spectrum and the shift to using science‐based terminology. In exploring these changes, we will discuss approaches to treat people more effectively with substance use disorders and the impact this has on policy development. Overall, the goal of the training will be to support the addiction treatment and recovery workforce by improving our effectiveness to support people with substance use disorders.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• learn the DSM‐5 Criteria to accurately diagnose substance use disorders;
• understand the changes in diagnostic criteria from DSM‐IV to DSM‐5;
• discuss the implications of these changes in how we treat people with addiction;
• discuss the implications of these changes in how we formulate and implement policies and procedures; and
• be more confident in understanding the spectrum of substance use disorders to treat people more effectively with substance use disorders.

THPM2: HIV/STIs: an Overview for the Substance Abuse/Mental Health Professional

Course Description:

This course will provide an overview of current developments in Sexually Transmitted Infection(s) (STIs)/HIV diagnosis and management to the lay person/professional especially those involved in the counseling & education of individuals living w/a dual diagnosis, i.e., alcohol/drug addiction AND a STI, including HIV and/or HBV/HCV. Participants will receive instruction on the nine most common STIs diagnosed in Alabama. Also, key Alabama laws regarding STIs/HIV will be discussed.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define/identify the following terms: abstinence, safer sex, risk reduction, HIV, AIDS, STI/STD, nPEP, PrEP;
• conduct a brief, accurate and sensitive assessment of an individual’s sexual risk-taking behavior;
• discuss the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment for the following STIs: HIV, gonorrhea, Chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, bacterial vaginosis, venereal warts, viral hepatitis, and pubic lice; and
• review risk reduction/behavior change theories and models as they relate to STI/HIV infection.

THPM3: Shared Decision-Making

Course Description:

Research supports that when individuals have support in the treatment and recovery process, they experience greater success and progress more decisively toward permanent behavior change. Many people who struggle with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) often require individualized behavioral and medical treatment to maintain sobriety. Withdrawals from these substances can trigger severe and potentially fatal symptoms, as well as an immediate return to use of the substance of abuse. Shared Decision-Making is a wholistic care model that promotes the inclusion of significant others and resources from the client’s living community. For MAT to be successful, a patient-centered care approach that includes shared decision-making, helps providers and patients work together to make care choices based on patient preferences and values. When a plan is patient directed, greater acceptance and adherence to treatment goals is accomplished.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• assess best practices in the use of the Shared Decision-Making process;
• apply the guiding ethical principles of Shared Decision Making;
• evaluate and assess the appropriate uses of medication options in Medication Assisted Treatment and suggested client education components;
• integrate the use of the 3-step Shared Decision-Making Model (Choice talk, Options talk, Decision talk) in clinical practice; and
• describe and evaluate barriers and concerns of the care giver in successful implementation of the Shared Decision-Making Model.

THPM4: Navigating Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders and Overcoming Barriers to Reduce Health Disparities

Course Description:

Given the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and substance use disorders, it is prudent for providers to better understand current trends and the relationship between mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and health disparities. This session will explore co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders while providing practical tools to overcome barriers in this patient population, particularly related to adherence and medication access. This session will also define the social determinants of health (SDOH) according to Healthy People 2030. The audience will have a greater understanding of the relationship between how population groups experience “place” and the impact of “place” on health, and the important role healthcare professionals in reducing health disparities and improving health outcomes.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• describe substance use disorder trends in Alabama and the United States;
• explain the relationship of common co-occurring mental health conditions and substance use disorders and associated implications;
• summarize behavioral and medication therapies that can be used to treat substance use disorders;
• describe the five key domains of social determinants of health according to Healthy People 2030 and how they relate to health disparities relevant to the Southeast; and
• identify strategies to improve medication access and adherence to reduce health disparities.

THPM5: Fostering Resilience and Recovery: A Change Package for Advancing Trauma Informed Primary Care

Course Description:

Trauma-Informed Primary Care: Fostering Resilience and Recovery, a Kaiser Permanente funded initiative led by the National Council, brought together national experts, and thought leaders to develop a nationally applicable, evidence-based “change package” for advancing trauma-informed approaches in primary care.  This resource is now available in the public domain for all primary care settings to use.  This session will examine the concrete components of the Change Package and its applicability in primary care to create resilient environments in which we can deliver high quality services and address health care’s quadruple aim.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define the Change Package components that outline concrete steps for creating a trauma- informed organizational culture in the primary care setting;
• identify trauma-informed care change concepts that facilitate clinical and operational practice change in the primary care setting; and
• demonstrate real-world applications of the change package in primary care settings.

THPM6: From Screening to Treatment Admission: Engagement, Retention and Attempts at Pre-Treatment

Course Description:

This course will provide an overview of the benefits and barriers to retention and retaining recipients of care between the initial screening to assessment and to admission for treatment. Information will be shared on the barriers to recipient engagement and the benefits of peer support and recovery programs, and interagency collaborative partnerships during the post screening and preadmission phase to treatment.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify an assortment of tools that are used to screen patients/clients for behavioral health problems;
• explain how the placement assessment is used to identify community resources to support engagement and
  retention during the pre-treatment phase of care; and
• discuss the barriers and benefits to collaborative partnerships when developing and implementing pretreatment
  activities with behavioral health service providers.

THPM7: “Beginning to End” Opioid Use Disorder Care

Course Description:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 81,230 drug overdose deaths in the United States in the 12 months ending in May 2020.  During that period, drug overdoses increased more than 20% in Alabama.  Therefore, this presentation will engage participants in the phases of care as it relates to reducing (primary prevention), screening (secondary prevention), and treating (tertiary prevention) opioid use disorder (OUD).  Participants will also gain information about referral and support options that best serves the patient.  Lastly, Alabama state policies and billing, as it relates to OUD, will be discussed.  Participants will learn best practices for OUD service to achieve an integrated, whole-person, and equitable approach to OUD healthcare.  

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• discuss the benefits of providing primary prevention services to patients;
• describe the SBIRT Model;
• differentiate between the US-AUDIT and DAST;
• describe the different forms of MOUD and the advantages/disadvantages of each;
• explain best practices in treatment of a patient in recovery;
• discuss referral options specifically about peer support; and
• identify the State policies, billing codes and bill procedure for SUD services.

THPM8: The Intersections of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse: Breaking Cycles and Approaching Clients

Course Description:

This course, taught from the viewpoint of sexual assault counseling, nursing, and education, will address the common intersections found among sexual assault survivors with domestic abuse and substance abuse. Specifically, the course will address the neurobiology of trauma and how this informs trauma-centered care for sexual abuse/domestic violence survivors.  Instruction will also center on the complicated issue of consent as it relates to sexual assault and substance use. Participants will be instructed in how to advocate for sexual assault/domestic abuse survivors in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner.  

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• recognize the neurobiological signs and symptoms of sexual assault/domestic violence in survivors;
• assess sexual assault survivors’ capacity for consent and process and explain the legal responsibilities involved in the assault; and
• demonstrate trauma-informed response and care for sexual assault/domestic violence survivors.

THPM9: Ethics for Peers

Course Description:

Peers and Clinicians have different roles and different qualifications.  By the very nature of their work with individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), peers face greater ethical challenges.  This session will focus on helping peers learn how to avoid the common ethical pitfalls of inappropriate boundaries and self-disclosure while still facilitating the process of recovery for the individuals they serve. 

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify two criterions for determining when self-disclosure is appropriate in a peer relationship;
• list at least four boundaries that should never be crossed by a peer in working with a patient; and
• describe two strategies to avoid making inappropriate ethical decisions.

THPM10: Real or Reel? Navigating Informed Response to Domestic Violence

Course Description:

Given the prevalence of domestic violence within our communities, this issue is often included in content across media with popular consumption. Myths regarding the topic are commonly circulated, and practitioners are often challenged to develop a complex informed understanding of domestic violence and apply best practices in intervention efforts. Using clips from popular television and film as opportunities for discussion, this interactive course will explore the dynamics of domestic violence; its relationship to substance use/disorder; and how to best support individuals who experience domestic violence, including considerations of ethics and boundaries.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• accurately identify the complex dynamics of domestic violence (DV) and differentiate associated myths from facts;
• discuss the intersection of domestic violence with substance use/disorder, including effects and impact on formal help-seeking; and
• integrate an understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence and the interconnection of DV with substance use/disorder in informing evidence-based response as practitioners, including advocacy, safety planning, referral, and program accommodation.

I Need A Boost  

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, 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 Service 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, 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”.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

FAM1: HIV/STIs: an Overview for the Substance Abuse/Mental Health Professional

Course Description:

This course will provide an overview of current developments in Sexually Transmitted Infection(s) (STIs)/HIV diagnosis & management to the lay person/professional especially those involved in the counseling & education of individuals living w/a dual diagnosis, i.e., alcohol/drug addiction AND a STI, including HIV and/or HBV/HCV. Attendees will receive instruction on the nine most common STIs diagnosed in Alabama. Also, key Alabama laws regarding STIs/HIV will be discussed.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define/identify the following terms: abstinence, safer sex, risk reduction, HIV, AIDS, STI/STD, nPEP, PrEP;
• conduct a brief, accurate and sensitive assessment of an individual’s sexual risk-taking behavior;
• discuss the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment for the following STIs: HIV, gonorrhea, Chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, bacterial vaginosis, venereal warts, viral hepatitis, and pubic lice; and
• review risk reduction/behavior change theories and models as they relate to STI/HIV infection.

FAM2: Why is Clinical Documentation So Important?

Course Description:

Good documentation is a central component to good clinical care. This training focuses on proper documentation as it relates to information that is required, which gives an account of the services delivered to clients in treatment. Participants will gain insight into the importance of viewing documentation as a form of self-supervision, essential to their professional practice and in their provision of quality clinical services.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• understand the requirements of clinical documentation as it relates to best practices;
• practice writing a progress note that meets clinical requirements and uses best practices; and
• describe the components of case reviews, continuous assessment and continued stay criteria.

FAM3: CARES MDT: A Multi-Disciplinary Team Helping Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorders

Course Description:

Children’s Advocacy Centers regularly use the MDT approach to address concerns of child abuse, especially those that may rise to the level of prosecution.  The National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) built on that tradition to create a specialized MDT focused on addressing the entire family’s needs because, as our child abuse cases often reflect, each member of the family is impacted by any one person’s Substance Use Disorder (SUD).  The CARES team includes CPS workers, treatment providers for caregivers with SUD’s, trauma treatment providers for the child and caregivers, community mental health, Medical Providers, and peer support, and focuses on treatment rather than prosecution. 

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• review current research related to SUD’s, including prevalence, impact on families over the lifespan and on systemic resources, and best practices for treatment;
• explain why we created CARES MDT, including to provide wraparound services for the entire family, maintain a strengths-based perspective, lessen the burden on CPS workers, easily connect families to appropriate services, staff cases with a panel of local experts in real time, and ultimately prevent child deaths; and
• describe how we created CARES MDT, including preparation for and maintenance of the CARES MDT at all levels (senior leader, supervisors, direct staff), how it is going, and next steps.

FAM4: Overview of Alabama’s Crisis System of Care

Course Description:

No individual or family is immune from the impact of untreated behavioral health needs. Each year, there are thousands of preventable tragedies that may be addressed with proper mental health resources and access to care. The Alabama Crisis System of Care was developed to reduce the number of emergency room admissions and jail bookings due to behavioral health crisis. The Alabama Crisis System of care promotes integrated services, decreases the rate of expensive referrals, and develop a regional approach to crisis care. This training will provide an overview of the Alabama Crisis System of Care, best practices and identify the current four (4) Crisis Center providers in the state. Participant will gain an understanding of the referral, assessment, and admission process for a Crisis Center. The course will review in detail current Crisis Center’s treatment, case management, and referral processes.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify and refer to a Crisis Center;
• describe the core services provided by an effective Crisis System;
• recognize the best practices within a highly functioning Crisis System of Care;
• recognize how the Alabama Crisis System of Care will benefit individuals, families, law enforcement, hospitals, communities, and Alabama residents;
• differentiate between “Temporary Observation” and “Extended Observation” and the assessment and treatment processes within a Crisis Center;
• describe each current Crisis Center’s location, contact staff, and process of referral and admission to each;
• recognize the importance of community partners and stakeholders for a successful Crisis System of Care; and
• identify the requirements and staffing of a Crisis Center.

FAM5: Changing Police Culture, A CIT Response To Crisis

Course Description:

This course will be an overview on Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Program in Huntsville Alabama. This course will discuss the issues related to police response to crisis. What the CIT Program is and how does the CIT Steering committee fit in. Why mental illness is a community problem. How the communities are working together with CIT Programs to promote jail diversion, avoid fatal encounters, and create improved crisis response systems to help those in need. Why do we need to teacher other state agencies, how important are reginal CIT training hubs and the need to work towards a State CIT Steering Committee.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define “crisis intervention team” and enumerate the members of an effective team;
• describe the history of crisis intervention teams;
• identify the goals of crisis intervention team programs;
• what is the difference between a “Police Response” and a “CIT Modal Response to Crisis”;
• why training officers is a small part of CIT response; and
• how can a community, region, or state change the response infrastructure which changes police culture.

FAM6: Take Back, Educate, Inundate (TBEI): A Social Media Approach to Opioid Prevention in Clinical Settings

Course Description:

This course will provide an overview of how grassroots organizations can develop and implement innovative initiatives to address and prevent opioid misuse amongst recipients of care. Information will be shared on a multi-layered approach to medication disposal and prevention education using multiple social media platforms. The TBEI program has been presented at local, regional, and national conferences to address opioid use among people living with HIV in Alabama.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• explain how the Take Back, Educate and Inundate Initiative is implemented specialty care settings;
• list creative methods for addressing opioid prevention through the use of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter;
• describe how social media can be used to raise awareness around National Health Days/Months to promote drug abuse prevention messages within the agency; and
• discuss how to replicate the TBEI program with traditional and nontraditional clinical service providers.

FAM7: The Legal Landscape of Addressing the Opioid Epidemic

Course Description:

Cities, Counties, and States across the country are addressing the opioid epidemic through litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors, including here in Alabama.  This course will be an overview of the legal basis for these lawsuits and more importantly how the outcomes can provide a path forward. 

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify how the opioid epidemic began;
• recognize that through litigation there may one day be funding at the public level to address the epidemic; and
• employ strategies to utilize public resources to address the epidemic.

FAM8: Value of Peer Support

Course Description:

This workshop will define the role and value of peer support services in the substance use disorder system of care.  When utilized appropriately a peer’s lived experience of the impact of a substance use disorder and their experience in recovery is valuable to an individual’s success in their recovery.   Acute care substance use treatment without other recovery supports has often not been sufficient in helping individuals to maintain long-term recovery. Substance use disorders are currently understood to be chronic conditions that require long-term management, like diabetes. Peer-based recovery support provides a range of person-centered and strength-based supports for long-term recovery management. These supports help people in recovery build recovery capital—the internal and external resources necessary to begin and maintain recovery.  Peers can assist with retention in recovery and/or treatment services by helping individuals break down barriers of experience and understanding, as well as power dynamics that may get in the way of working with other members in the substance use disorder system of care.  The peer can keep an individual engaged in the recovery process by allowing individuals to find and follow their own recovery path, without judgment, expectation, rules, or requirements. 

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define the role and value of peers and recovery support services;
• recognize the value of “Recovery Capital”;
• utilize peers as part of an emerging transformation of systems and services addressing substance use disorder; and
• recognize how to utilize peers for engagement and retention in recovery and treatment process.

FAM9: Vicarious Trauma: Signs, Symptoms and Management for the Healthcare Provider

Course Description:

According to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration), individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening with lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being. The term vicarious trauma (Perlman & Saakvitne, 1995), sometimes also called compassion fatigue, is the latest term that describes the phenomenon generally associated with the “cost of caring” for others. It is believed that counselors working with trauma survivors experience vicarious trauma because of the work they do. Vicarious trauma is the emotional residue of exposure that counselors have from working with people as they are hearing their traumatic stories and become witnesses to the pain, fear, and terror that trauma survivors have endured.

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• define and identify common types of trauma;
• define vicarious trauma and accompanying factors;
• address survivor’s guilt; a common form of trauma identified during the pandemic; and
• identify the signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma and how to manage them.

FAM10: Cognitive Behavior Therapy and the Use of Contingency Management

Course Description:

Behavior modification is necessary for overall effective and long- term change of maladaptive behavior. Contingency Management strategies are an extension of motivation and Cognitive Behavioral therapy models focused. When one considers motivation and the possible rewards (both intrinsic and external) and other positive or desirable outcomes as being contingent on a certain set of behaviors, once agreement is met, behavior change results over time. With true behavior change, clients experience greater stability and recovery. 

Objectives:

After attending the course, a participant will be able to:

• identify the guidelines established by SAMHSA for use of Evidence Based Practices to address quality care for those individuals seeking treatment for Substance misuse;
• practice and apply skills and application of this useful and evidence-based behavior change model, while being guided through sequential steps toward both learning and understanding;
• define contingency management and trace its roots to Cognitive Behavioral Therapies;
• learn the 7 Guiding principles of Contingency Management;
• develop an understanding of best practices in treatment and the effective use of Contingency Management within various treatment settings of the milieu;
• gain knowledge and skills in the use of token economy; reinforcement; incentives, incentive timing, incentive magnitude and distribution; behavior modification; contracting; and motivation enhancement;
• develop and apply through classroom practice an effective goal-setting framework, focused on the effort and initiative of the client toward desired behavior change; and
• identify desired outcomes in treatment and consider target behaviors that best promote successful treatment outcomes to include: retention, minimized potential for relapse, engagement, cessation of use, lifestyle changes and improvements, staff training and skill development, use of field and community resources, prize bowls and incentives, recognition, and tracking.