Family-Focused Addiction Support Training (FFAST): Getting Your Life Back

Maureen Cavanaugh will introduce her newest project “Taking Back Your Life.” Taking Back Your Life is a family-focused intervention designed to define and increase fluency in the language of recovery. If you are a parent, sibling, a member of the extended family or even a professional working in a setting with individuals going through substance use disorder, learning the steps to care for yourself is essential if want to be a healthy, empathetic and effective supporter to your loved one, patient or student. Learning Objectives: Learn what “recovery” and “recovery capital” are. Understand the multiple pathways that are available to treat the disease of addiction. Learn what the “Stages of Change” are and how they are necessary to the recovery process. Understand the power of stigma and how blame and shame hinder recovery. Learn how to create strategies conducive to your own mental and physical health

Struggles and Strategies for Survival Beyond the Walls of Jail

Louie Diaz is a substance use disorder counselor and re-entry specialist with the Middlesex County, Massachusetts Sheriff’s Office. In his youth, Louie sold drugs and stolen jewelry and was part of a crime theft ring. During his struggles with addiction, he received a 10-year prison sentence for stabbing a police officer while trying to flee a crime scene. It was during his last sentence that he made a commitment to change his life and developed a passion for helping other returning citizens. As a counselor and re-entry specialist, Louie now tends to the emotional and physical needs of others. Louie knows drugs and crime from both a criminal and a treatment perspective. “No re-entry program is going to go under the bridges and into the tent cities of the homeless looking for the guys who come out of jail and fall between the cracks. But if you are not willing to go to their places, they will end up back in jail.’ In this webinar Louie will share his own story of substance use disorder and incarceration as well as the work he is doing in the cities of Lowell and Lawrence, Massachusetts to address the addiction crisis. He will discuss what it was like to be followed by a film crew for 5 years as this documentary was being made. He will also share why this film is important as we begin to treat substance use disorder as a public health issue instead of a law enforcement issue. Learning Objectives: Understand the barriers individuals face when returning to the community after incarceration and how those barriers might affect the success of their transition back into society. Learn what “recidivism” is, and why 95% of people return to drugs and alcohol after release from prison and how substance use disorder relates to recidivism. In the film, Billy Cabrera says, “We get a handbook on how to conduct ourselves in prison, when you get released you don’t get a handbook on how to live life.” Learn what jails and prisons are doing to prepare individuals for re-entry into the community

Engaging Parents and Caregivers in Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Recovery

Fred Muench the President of the national organization, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and Center on Addiction, will present on family-based interventions to engage parents and caregivers, as well as data on the resources the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids offers for families addressing every aspect of substance use and addiction, from prevention to recovery. Learn about the support and guidance offered through the latest science-based information designed to empower parents and caregivers. Fred will also discuss how the merger with the Center on Addiction now provides the research necessary to advance effective prevention and treatment strategies advocating for lifesaving policy changes with state and local partners. Through these initiatives the Partnership and Center on Addiction aspire to change the national conversation around addiction so that no one will feel alone or ashamed to seek help, and everyone can have access to the care they need and deserve. Learning Objectives: Become familiar with the resources for Substance Use Disorder NLM and partner organizations offer such as MedlinePlus, Drug Information Portal and Pillbox. Learn the latest research on parenting and caregiver interventions for substance use prevention and intervention. Learn about how the Partnership is infusing, best-in-class science with compassion from prevention to sustained recovery, to support families caring for a child or loved one struggling with substance use. Learn about the work the Partnership is doing with health care systems to provide effective addiction treatment, research and practices that work, and promote accessibility and affordability of care for everyone

Understanding Grief After an Overdose Death

This webinar focuses on the dynamics of grief after a death caused by substance use. It begins with a look at three key questions people bereaved by an overdose death commonly ask themselves: Why did the person die from an overdose? Did the person intend to die? Was the death preventable? It also covers the stigma, stress, and trauma that can come with grief after a death from substance use -- and it considers issues that begin to influence survivors\u27 experience of grief and loss long before a death occurs, such as struggling with a loved one\u27s addiction and the demands of caring for a chronically ill person. The concepts in the webinar are based on the presenter’s 20 years of experience as a peer grief support advocate and his current work on two statewide projects in Massachusetts focused on helping people affected by the opioid epidemic. Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to do the following: • Discuss how three key questions affect bereaved people • Explain the effects of stigma and stress on the experience of grief • Give examples of how trauma can play a role in grief • Consider how the dynamics of addiction and caregiving can shape a person’s grie

Substance Use Disorder Treatment in the Time of COVID

Primary care clinicians face many challenges when addressing the complex needs of patients with chronic pain, substance use disorders or both. Over the last 10 months, the SARS-CoVID-2 pandemic has both increased and changed the challenges that healthcare providers face. Massachusetts Consultation Service for the Treatment of Addiction and Pain (MCSTAP) is a free service that helps doctors and other clinicians meet these challenges by increasing their capacity for, and comfort in, using evidence-based practices to screen, diagnose, treat and manage the care of these patients. MCSTAP provides on-demand physician consultation on safe prescribing and managing the care of patients with chronic pain and/or SUD. Join us for a webinar to learn about the innovative services that MCSTAP provides. Christopher Shanahan MD MPH FACP will share his knowledge about why and experience about how MCSTAP was created. You will learn about how SARS-CoVID-2 pandemic has changed SUD treatment and prescribing protocols. Currently, the SARS-CoVID-2 pandemic has presented serious and life-threatening challenges to both patients and to their clinicians. After attending this webinar, participants will: Understand the bidirectional relationship of SARS-Cov-2 pandemic & the epidemic U.S. Substance Use on identification & treatment of physical, mental health & Substance Use Disorders (SUD) e.g. opioid crisis Describe components & impact of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) on care of individuals with SUD & impact on the risk for & clinical outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection Employ Intersectionality to identify/analyze key areas of need & potential for high impact & then develop/implement evidence-based & innovative solutions

Addressing a By-Product of the Opioid Addiction Crisis: Commercial Sexual Exploitation

In this webinar participants will learn what human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation are. We will debunk some of the commonly held misconceptions and arm you with the true facts and statistics about prostitution. We will provide you with warning signs and red flags and help you to identify victims in need of support. We will explain the do’s and don’ts of working with victims and survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and equip participants with the tools and resources to assist this marginalized and vulnerable group of individuals

Reaching the Hard to Reach: Empowering Community Members to Think Differently and Embrace Teens with Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Challenges During the Time of COVID

Being a teenager is hard, and COVID-19 has made these difficult years even harder. Over the past decade, U.S. teens report feeling increased pressure and stress and those working with this population see the result -- young people with mental health conditions, lack of resiliency skills and many with substance use disorder. The healthy coping mechanisms that used to contribute to mental wellness, like community connection, physical activity and the pursuit of creative outlets has been declining. These trends were happening even before COVID! Teens with mental health issues often develop substance use disorder. It has been said that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it is connection. As the COVID19 pandemic continues, so does the nation’s opioid epidemic. The AMA has expressed concern over the increasing number of reports from national, state and local media suggesting increases in opioid-related overdose deaths. Young people, many of whom were already challenged with mental health conditions are seeking connection and are not finding it because of the social distancing and school closures necessary because of this contagious virus. Those who specialize in behavioral health are warning that a tsunami is about to hit our country in the form of mental health needs. This surge in mental health conditions is predicted to last for years. Join us for a webinar that will shed some light on teen mental health and substance use disorders. Presenters Stephanie Briody, CEO of Behavioral Health Innovators and Michelle Muffet - Lipinski, Principal of Northshore Recovery High School will share their innovative initiatives and programs that are filling in the gaps in services for teens with mental health and substance use disorders. Learn how you can prepare for this surge in mental health challenges with examples of practices and programs that can be replicated in your community, and that provide the needed connection with teens who are hard to reach. Learning Objectives: Learn about the PASS program and RecoveryBuild Alternative Peer Groups (APG’s) and how these positive discipline interventions are working to address and treat substance use disorder and other mental health conditions. Learn about recent legislative initiatives that address mental health and substance use disorder. Learn about some virtual connection tools and games you can use to provide expressive therapy using the arts

Drug Courts: A Bridge to Recovery

Drug courts are an alternative to traditional prosecution in which a collaborative team of medical clinicians, social workers, lawyers and probation officers work together to try to find a path out of addiction. Supervised probation, mandatory treatments, as well as random drug testing with progress monitored by a supervising probation officer, the court works with a team of treatment providers, which provide clinical assessment, develop and monitor treatment placements and identify ancillary counseling, case management and outreach services. Join Judge Timothy Bibaud and Drug Court Graduates Kayla and Shenandoah for their informative, and personal stories about how drug courts address the underlying causes of criminal behavior, substance use disorder and/or mental illness. Judge Bibaud presides over the Dudley District Drug Court in Dudley, Massachusetts. Kayla and Shenandoah earned their lives back thanks to this innovative treatment strategy and Judge Bibaud’s team of caring and empathetic professionals at the Dudley District Drug Court. Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to do the following: Explain the treatment model that offers a structured approach for interacting with those involved with the justice system. Discuss how this model works with programs designed to curb criminal recidivism and reduce drug use. Discuss the prevalence of drug courts in the US. Explain the effectiveness of Drug Courts with success stories from the Dudley, MA Drug Court Discuss common problems with drug courts that can affect the successfu

Substance Use Disorder and Heredity: It\u27s a Family Disease

Join the NNLM NER for a special webinar that explores the many facets of substance use disorder in teens through a candid interview about Substance Use Disorder with a Worcester, Massachusetts Recovery High School student, her father, and her grandmother. Three generations of this family have been affected by addiction. Hear in their own words as they share their family’s story of addiction. Worcester Recovery High School Clinician Alyssa Richard-Figueroa, Principal Mary Ellen McGorry and UMass Internal Medicine Physician Dr. Margret Chang share their expertise and commentary as we learn from this family about how early exposure to addictive substances, genetic predisposition, trauma, peer pressure, and mental health contribute to the complicated disease of substance use disorder. Learning Objectives: Become familiar with the resources for Substance Use Disorder NLM and partner organizations offer such as MedlinePlus, Drug Information Portal and Pillbox. Learn what a Recovery High School is. Identify the root causes of addiction. Explain the roles of genetic predisposition and choice in the disease of addiction Understand how public schools can be where teens first obtain addictive substances and develop a substance use disorder. Formulate a plan to address peer pressure and addictive substance use. Learn how to provide support and resources to students using addictive substances in public school settings. Recognize how to be more effective in the prevention and treatment of addiction as a parent, healthcare provider, librarian, educator, first responder and law enforcement professional when engaging with someone with a substance use disorder

An Evaluation of the University of Illinois Extension Get Up & Move! Program

Get Up & Move! is a program created by University of Illinois Extension to address childhood obesity. It provides ready-to-use materials for youth leaders to promote healthy lifestyles through physical fitness and healthy eating. The impact of the program on participants’ physical activity was evaluated to see whether involvement produces an increase in physical activity to the USDA recommended 60 minutes per day. It was found that a significant increase in minutes of physical activity occurred in participants from an average of 51.88 minutes per day to an average of 58.84 minutes per day