Monday, May 7

Kevin McCauley, MD

Dr. Kevin McCauley is a Senior Fellow at The Meadows of Wickenburg, Arizona and Senior Recovery Advisor at Northbound Treatment Services in Orange County, California. He first became interested in the treatment of substance use disorders while serving as a Naval Flight Surgeon where he observed the U.S. Navy's policy of treating addiction as a safety (not moral) issue and returning treated pilots to flight status under careful monitoring.

After developing his own addiction to prescription opioids, Dr. McCauley was court-martialed and imprisoned at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas where he read voraciously of what was known about the disease of addiction at that time. Today, he has over ten years of continuous sobriety and has worked in a non-clinical capacity at several treatment centers, giving over two thousand lectures on the neuroscience of addiction and recovery management.

Dr. McCauley wrote and directed two films: "Memo to Self" about the concepts of recovery management, and "Pleasure Unwoven" about the neuroscience of addiction which won the 2010 Michael Q. Ford Award for Journalism from the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers. Kevin also continues to assist pilots with substance use disorders through his collaboration with the Air Line Pilots Association's HIMS Program.

Currently, Dr. McCauley travels between the U.S mainland and his home in Honolulu, Hawai`i where he lives with his wife, Kristine, who teaches third grade at the Honolulu Waldorf School.

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Tuesday, May 8

Donald R. Teater, MD, MPH

Dr. Donald R. Teater is a family physician who has lived and worked in western North Carolina for the past 29 years. Since 2004 he has focused more on the intersection of pain, opioids, and addiction. Dr. Teater was lead facilitator for the expert panel during the development of the CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. He continues to work as a consultant with the CDC on educating prescribers on the appropriate treatment of pain.

While working nationally on the public health aspects of the opioid epidemic, he continues to see patients one day a week treating opioid use disorder and chronic pain in Waynesville, NC.

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Wednesday, May 9

Ken Winters, Ph.D.

Ken C. Winters, Ph.D. is a Senior Scientist at the Oregon Research Institute and adjunct faculty in the Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota. Dr. Winters retired as a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota, where he found and directed the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research for 25 years.

Dr. Winters received his B.A. from the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical) from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His primary research interests are the assessment and treatment of addictions, including adolescent drug abuse and problem gambling. His recent work in the field has focused on brief interventions and the SBIRT model to address adolescents who are mild-to-moderate drug users and have co-existing behavioral problems. Along with Keven Sabet, he is co-editing a book on marijuana and health, to be published by Oxford press in 2017, and he is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, and the Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. Dr. Winters received numerous research grants from the National Institute of Health and various foundations and published over 100 peer-reviewed articles over a 30-year period. He was the 2008 recipient of the Research to Evidence-Based Practice Award from a national organization on effective treatment for adolescents (JMATE), and received in 2005 the Senior Investigator Award by the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG).

Dr. Winters is a frequent publisher, speaker and trainer and is a consultant to many organizations, including Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, NCRG, NORC's Adolescent SBIRT Steering Committee, Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc., Florida International University's Office of Research and Economic Development, and the Mentor Foundation (an international drug abuse prevention organization).

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The Opioid Epidemic and the 2016 CDC Opioid Prescribing Guidelines (1.5 Hours - Intermediate Level)

Kevin McCauley, MD
Our nation finds itself in an unprecedented moment in history where the leading cause of death in young people is no longer motor vehicle accidents but drug poisonings. The epidemic of opioid addiction, and the inevitable rise in opioid-related overdose deaths that goes with it, began with Opioid Pain Relievers (OPRs) but has quickly evolved to accelerating heroin use. Many current heroin users were initiated to opioids through prescriptions for chronic pain. The 2015 data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Center for Healthcare Statistics (NCHS) indicates that this problem shows no signs of slowing, and in 2016 the CDC, following the lead of many other individual states, published prescribing guidelines for opioid pain reliever use for chronic pain. This lecture describes the factors leading to the current opioid epidemic, how it has evolved over the last ten years, and the 2016 CDC guidelines meant to stop it.

Substance Use Within the Realm of Health Disparities (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Fransing Daisy, PhD and Joseph Cantil, BA
Early experiences of trauma can result in heavy use of drugs and alcohol. Substance use can trigger poor social choices, an increase in impulsivity, and difficulty with job, shelter, & food security. Behavioral health staff are generally the initial, primary contact providers for these distressed clients and can benefit from the availability of current, evidence based "tools" by which to support and assist their client's movement toward behavioral change. This workshop plans to investigate how health disparities impact a client's health, substance use and lifestyle. We plan to review the intersections of health, substance use, trauma, depression as well as review a selection of "tools" to assist client behavioral and lifestyle change.

Ethics (3 hours - Entry Level)

TBA
The workshop will provide the foundational philosophy and practice information about the need for professional ethics. The workshop will introduce the code of ethics developed for behavioral health/ substance use providers, with discussion on how to use the code as a guide to providing client services. The presenter will stress ethics and boundary issues which can cause conflicts in both rural and urban Alaska. Applied exercises will help participants learn to identify and address potential ethical issues.

The Outsider: Social Pain & Addiction (3 hours - All Levels)

Christopher La Riche, MD
Addiction professionals are well-aware of the progression of the disease over time-- often, the addicted person becomes completely isolated and alone, prioritizing drug use over all human contact. There is now exciting evidence of substantial overlap between our physical pain and social pain (social exclusion) networks. These social pain networks, in turn, connect with structures involved in drug craving and risk-seeking behaviors central to addiction. In this lively exploration of the Outsider, Social Pain and Addiction, Dr. La Riche draws together astonishing findings on social exclusion and addiction from both neuroscience research and literature, casting light on an area of addiction—and human experience—that often lies in shadow.

Pharmacotherapy Addiction for Clinicians (3 hours - All Levels)

Gerald Shulman, MA, MAC, FACATA
This workshop will begin with information about relapse rates with patients who are addicted to various mood-changing substances and how the treatment field has fallen far short of their goals for patients. A model integrating psychosocial treatment, recovery support services and pharmacotherapy will be presented as a way to enhance treatment outcome and recovery. Current FDA approved medications for the treatment of opioid, alcohol and nicotine dependence will be presented with the benefits and disadvantages of each. The controversies about the use of pharmacotherapy in general and as applied with particular medications will be discussed. Information about opioid overdose will be addressed.

Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Addressing the National Epidemic (3 hours - Entry Level)

Herbert Day, DO
The presentation will surround the options for medication assisted treatment. Topics include: why medication is needed to combat opioid use disorder, how do you determine the appropriate medication, how effective is medication assisted treatment, available resources in the community. A patient will share their personal journey to recovery.

Opting In: Practical Approaches to treating Tobacco Dependence in Clients with Mental Health Illness and Substance Use Disorders (3 hours - Intermediate Level)

Shayla Compton, MPH, Noel Crowley-Bell, BS, Ericka Weynand, B, HS, HS-BCP, CDC1, Michael Rowcroft, CDC II, and Michael Powell, PhD
Persons with mental health and substance use disorders can successfully quit using tobacco at rates similar to the general population. Fundamental to your client's success is providing them the tools, skills, and environment to succeed. Clients that receive these resources do significantly better in their substance abuse and mental health treatment and recovery. This interactive session will provide you with an understanding of what it takes to help your clients quit.

Screening, Assessment and Treatmentfor the Elder with Substance Use Disorder (3 hours - Intermediate Level)

Lindy Lewis, PhD, LCSWC
This presentation provides an in-depth review of screening instruments for substance use disorder, anxiety, depression and neuro-cognitive decline specific to the elder population. Specific factors to consider in assessment of the elderly as well as treatment engagement strategies are discussed. A review of the data related to elder-specific substance abuse treatment is discussed as well.

Residential Substance Abuse Positive Based Point/Level System (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Thomas Crafton, MS, Theo Sery, PhD, and Kathy Ensign, LMSW, CDC
Adolescent Residential Center for Help (ARCH) is part of Volunteers of America (VOA) and is located in eagle River, Alaska. Adolescents from age 13 to 18 reside at ARCH for 3-6 months where they transition to VOA for outpatient services. ARCH's treatment is built on evidence based practices. Many clients are referred or mandated from the criminal justice system, have co-occurring mental health concerns, and may be from remote Alaskan villages. ARCH had been primarily operating under a response cost model (removal of points for behaviors, a type II punisher).

Alcohol Related Research in an Alaska Native and American Indian Healthcare System (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Kelley Jansen, MS, MAC, Lisa Dirks, MLIS, MAdm, and L'aakaw Éesh Kyle Wark, MA
In this presentation we will describe a historical perspective on alcohol use in Alaska Native and American Indian (AN/AI) communities, provide examples of unethical alcohol-related research in AN/AI communities, and describe two ongoing alcohol- related research studies intended to advance treatment and prevention services in a culturally-driven and appropriate way.

Confidentiality (3 hours - Entry Level)

Colleen Nusbaum, LCSW, CFMSW, CDCI and Kathryn Dziekan, PhD, LTP. LPC, CRC
Participants will receive the foundational and updated information on 42 CFR Part 2 and HIPAA – federal laws that require client confidentiality and the protection of confidential client information in behavioral health counseling. Participants will learn how federal confidentiality laws have specific implications for working with individuals experiencing behavioral health issues. The presenter will especially discuss confidentiality issues that arise in Alaska.

The Brain and Recovery: An Update on Neuroscience and Addiction (3 hours - Intermediate Level)

Kevin McCauley, MD
The last twenty years produced an explosion of understanding not only of addiction (Substance Use Disorder) but how brains enable human capacities such as valuation, decision-making and social cognition. Following the American Society of Addiction Medicine's definition of addiction, this lecture describes the current neuroscientific models of this brain disorder. Addiction shows us how the brain constructs pleasurable experiences, what happens when this process goes wrong, and why this can have a dramatic impact in our ability to make proper choices. The lecture links the pathophysiology of addiction to the symptoms of Substance Use Disorder as listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

From Good to Great—The Addiction Neuroscience SUPER-SEMINAR (3 hours - All Levels)

Christopher La Riche, MD
In this interactive, lively seminar, we will review the neuroscience of addictive disorders in a style that will "teach you how to teach" the science to your colleagues, clients and their families. Gain confidence in the scientific underpinnings of addiction. Go from Good to Great. Topics will include:

1. Basic science & core concepts of addiction science;
2. Neurobiology of reward, motivation and impulsivity;
3. Neurobiology of inhibitory function, "hypofrontality" and compulsive use
4. Physiology of substance use (differences between specific substances)
5. De-mystifying Neurotransmitters

DSM for Addiction Clinicians (3 hours - All Levels)

Gerald Shulman, MA, MAC, FACATA
This presentation will begin with the controversies surrounding the development of the DSM-5. It will go on to describe the new diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders comparing DSM-lV and the new DSM-5 and the implications for the old diagnoses of abuse and dependence. Emphasis will be placed on the new diagnostic category of Substance Use and Addictive Disorders and those mental health disorders most likely to be found co-occurring with substance use disorders. A two- item screen for Gambling Disorders will be offered. A risk model for determining severity of addictive disorders keyed to the DSM-5 Substance Use Disorder Criteria and associated treatment interventions will be presented.

Utilizing Vivitrol, Suboxone, and Methadone in an Opioid Treatment Program (3 hours - Entry Level)

Brenda Henze-Nelson, M.Ed, MAC, CDC1, Lindsey Grennan, M.Ed., CDCI, and Adie Callahan, M.Ed., CDCI
The presentation will review the differences between Office Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) and an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP), including the pharmacologic differences between Vivitrol, buprenorphine and methadone. The presenters will share their experience with incorporating Vivitrol and buprenorphine into a previously methadone only program. The presentation will describe how to determine appropriate medication during the assessment process and the importance of case management to increase access to treatment.

Intercultural Communication: Connecting with Culturally Specific Sources and Supports (3 hours - Intermediate Level)

Sarah McConnell, LCSW, ACSW, and Meda DeWitt, Alaska Native, Tlingit, Traditional Healer
Our focus is on increasing access to culturally appropriate behavioral health services by connecting respectfully across cultures and increasing understanding of traditional Alaska Native health-based practices. Topics will include practicing cultural humility as an intercultural provider, connecting with each other and with the land as healing resources, and culturally grounded talk therapies.

Outpatient Plus (1.5 hours - All Levels)

Gerald Shulman, MA. MAC, FACATA
This workshop will present a model that incorporates outpatient treatment (generally Partial Hospitalization/Day Treatment or Intensive Outpatient) with supportive housing in order to: (1) reduce costs; (2) increase treatment resources; (3) extend time in treatment; and (4) enhance outcome. The model will demonstrate how to reduce costs from over-utilized residential placements and have significant impact on reducing/diminishing waiting lists. The clinical considerations include addressing logistical problems such as (1) the absence of transportation; (2) the lack of childcare for residential treatment; or (3) recovery environments that is too toxic to support recovery.

Complexity Rules: Step-by-step Approaches to the Complex Client (1.5 hours - All Levels)

Christopher La Riche, MD
Often, new clients come to us with complex presentations. They may have multiple medical and neurological complaints; the first time we see them, they may appear emotional, demanding, and unstable, with pressing requests for attention and services. In theory, our approach to a complex patient with multiple problems should not differ from our approach to patients with more straightforward presentations. Sadly, we are not often trained in a systematic method to deal effectively with psychiatric (medical, personality disorder) complexity. Today, we will review the key teachings—often overlooked even in psychiatry residency--of proper diagnosis, meaningful laboratory work, the importance of maintaining the therapeutic frame, and creative approaches to history-taking that will leave you much more prepared and confident in caring for the complex client.
*No medical knowledge/background required.

The Brain and Recovery: An Update on Neuroscience of Addiction (3 Hours - Intermediate Level)

Kevin McCauley, MD
The last twenty years produced an explosion of understanding not only of addiction (Substance Use Disorder) but how brains enable human capacities such as valuation, decision-making and social cognition. Following the American Society of Addiction Medicine's definition of addiction, this lecture describes the current neuroscientific models of this brain disorder. Addiction shows us how the brain constructs pleasurable experiences, what happens when this process goes wrong, and why this can have a dramatic impact in our ability to make proper choices. The lecture links the pathophysiology of addiction to the symptoms of Substance Use Disorder as listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Managing Chronic Pain in Adults with, or in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders (3 hours - Entry Level)

Donald Teater, MD, MPH
Pain is a common complaint for individuals with a substance use disorder. In fact, chronic pain may have been the reason individuals started on opioid pain medications. This session will examine how pain can lead to substance use disorder and how it complicates treatment. Attendees will learn the optimal way to manage pain in those in treatment to reduce relapse and to improve outcomes.

Understanding Opioid Use Disorder and Medication Assisted Treatment in Primary Care; Clinical Pearls for the Use of Buprenorphine, and Naltrexone XR in the Primary Care Office (3 hours - Entry Level)

Sarah Spencer, DO
Understanding Opioid use disorder as a chronic brain disease and learning about medication assisted treatment, including methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone- XR. We will discuss how to choose the appropriate therapy based on patient risk factors, and the basics of initiating and managing buprenorphine and naltrexone-XR in the primacy care setting.

Opioid Use Disorder Crisis in Alaska: Ethical Dilemma of Suicidal Magnitude (3 hours - Entry Level)

Kathryn Dziekan, PhD, LTP. LPC, CRC and Colleen Nusbaum, LCSW, CFMSW, CDCI
This presentation will discuss the magnitude of the opioid epidemic in Alaska and how some of the current public policies challenge the rehabilitation needs of individuals who suffer from an illicit and/or a licit opioid use disorder. We will discuss: a) the statistics that relate to the state of Alaska and nationally regarding the opioid epidemic, b) the public policies that relate to the opioid dilemma, c) the ethical considerations related to the magnitude of passive and active suicide that are impacted by our opioid epidemic, and d) the biopsychosocial implications it has for professionals providing care to these individuals who suffer from this opioid epidemic.

Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (3 hours - Intermediate Level)

Ronald Jackson, MSW, LICSW
This presentation will address key aspects of opioid addiction, including neurochemistry; current use trends among adults and youth; acute and chronic use symptoms, and withdrawal and treatment approaches for both adults and youth. It will also present current information on Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), including the use of methadone, Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone), and naltrexone (including Vivitrol), and supporting research.

Peer Support Core Competencies and Evidenced-Based Process Groups: The Scope of Peer Support within the Therapeutic Group Process (1.5 hours - Entry Level)

Ron Wilson – Chair, Alaska Therapeutic Court Alumni, Leigh Copeland, Alaska Therapeutic Court Alumni Board, and Tim Willis, Alaska Therapeutic Court Alumni Board
The Alaska Therapeutic Court Alumni Association (AKTCA) has incorporated SAMSHA Peer Support Core Competencies into our process groups and mentorship services. Our goal is to help participants achieve their full potential and succeed in recovery after graduation from the therapeutic courts. Our presentation will include the following: Engage in collaborative/ caring relationships- Provide support Share lived experiences of recovery Support recovery planning Help peers to manage crises Accept Ethical Responsibility Implement Trauma-Informed Care.

Continuity of Care and Client Retention in Substance Abuse Treatment (1.5 hours - All Levels)

Gerald Shulman, MA. MAC, FACATA
What providers can do to enhance patient retention in treatment will be presented. Issues associated with customer service, effective referral, waiting list management, the roles of distance, source of referral and payment, factors affecting retention, and the role of the therapeutic alliance and how it can be enhanced will be presented. Client and provider variables and strategies that can increase the potential for successful retention and referral will be discussed.

Communicating with Patients about Opioid Use, Misuse, and Abuse in the Primary Care Setting: Tips and Tools for "Difficult Conversations" (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Laura Cooley, MA
Communicating with patients who are on high-dose prescription opioids or those with an Opioid Use Disorder is an ongoing challenge. This session will use realistic provider- patient scenarios to help boost provider confidence when having "difficult conversations". Tips and tools, e.g.,"Survival Tips: Things to Remember for the Toughest Cases" will be provided to help providers boost their confidence when discussing options. Participants will be encouraged to share their experience of interacting with patients with OUD, and consider how best to manage OUD by practicing skills increasingly needed in integrated care models.

Risk to Children Living in a Chemically Dependent Home (1.5 hours - All Levels)

Gerald Shulman, MA, MAC, FACATA
This presentation is designed for addiction counselors, child welfare and dependency court workers and reviews what we know about the impact of substance use disorders in children in those homes in which there is a caregiver or older sibling with an active substance use disorder. Myths about those effects will be examined including the possible over reaction of child welfare workers, the difference in effects on children between the severities of substance use disorders. Available screening tools will be presented. Reasons why more collaboration between addiction and child welfare workers does not occur and recommendations made for reducing risk by developing ways in which addiction and child welfare agencies can work together.

Substance Use Disorders Among the Elderly: Unique Factors and Treatment Considerations (1.5 hours - Entry Level)

Lindy Lewis, PhD, LCSWC
This presentation provides an overview of the trends in substance use disorders, including misuse of prescription and over-the-counter medications among elders in the United States. An introduction to the developmental-stage specific and health considerations are also covered. Factors associated with women, minority populations and veterans are also highlighted.

Medication-Assisted Treatment and Supporting Communities through Collective Impact (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Michael White, MCS and Mark Schaefer, Ed.S., MA
Maricopa County, Arizona has established itself as a National leader when it comes to integrating Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) into criminal justice programs.
Community Medical Services support three different State Department of Corrections, six county jails, and four Diversion Courts. With close communication between the courts, jails, and system partners, offenders have been provided a better set of options and opportunities on the road to recovery. These wrap-around programs that utilize MAT have been replicated and scaled to provide support in North Dakota, Montana, and Alaska. Presenters will discuss how programs were initiated, developed, ongoing support, and the importance of collaboration through Collective Impact.

Looking at the Opioid Crisis from a Primary Care Perspective (3 hours - Entry Level)

Donald Teater, MD, MPH
Primary care doctors frequently find themselves dealing with difficult patients because of the opioid epidemic. The chronic pain patient who is requesting higher doses of opioids. The acute pain patient asking for a refill on his Percocet. The patient who's bottle of opioids "fell in the toilet". This session will present patient scenarios for discussion and teaching to help primary care Doctors better care for these difficult patients.

How Trauma Changes Everything: The Neurobiology of Stress (3 hours - Entry Level)

Christopher La Riche, MD

"Addiction is never just addiction; it's addiction and something else". Dr. La Riche will be your guide in exploring that "something else" beyond the sole use of substances as we try to refine the diagnosis. In this fascinating seminar, we will take a deeper dive into how early life trauma (called "Stress" in the scientific literature) changes our neurobiology, making us more vulnerable to addiction and mental health disorders later in life. Topics will include:

1. Substance-induced mental health disorders;
2. Overview of Co-occurring disorders
3. Depressive disorders and Bipolar Disorders;
4. The Role of Trauma and PTSD in Addiction
5. The Trauma-Informed Therapist

Psychopharmacological Implications for Individuals with Chronic Pain and Co-occurring Conditions: Opioid Use and Alcohol Consumption (3 hours - Intermediate Level)

Kathy Dziekan, PhD, LTP. LPC, CRC and Colleen Nusbaum, LCSW, CFMSW, CDCI
Psychopharmacology, the study of mind and behavioral altering drugs, have had a strong presence and widespread use in aiding individuals in coping with chronic pain. This presentation will identify how psychopharmacology is being helpful to individuals with chronic pain and co-occurring conditions in meeting their goal to cope with life. Risks and benefits of psychopharmacological interventions will be addressed.
Additionally, a discussion of how some individuals may use and misuse opioids and alcohol will be provided. As well as a discussion regarding how service providers from a variety of disciplines can assist individuals with chronic pain and co-occurring conditions in being responsible regarding their drug usage.

Your Voice, Your Community: Developing a Statewide Opioid Action Plan, a Grassroots Approach (1.5 hours - Entry Level)

Elana Habid, MPH
This presentation will focus on the process that the Office of Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention (OSMAP) took to inform the development of the Statewide Opioid Action Plan, and provide a summary of the outcomes.

Linking Treatment: Before, During, and After (1.5 hours - All Levels)

Gerald Shulman, MA, MAC, FACATA
This presentation will discuss strategies with different degrees of effectiveness for people with substance use disorders, prior to entry into treatment, during treatment and after discharge. Topics will include intervention vs. engagement, discovery vs. recovery, the role of assessment, "evidence-based practices" and "brief intervention." Co-occurring disorders and supports post-treatment.

Reducing Excessive Alcohol Use and Harm, One Meme at a Time (1.5 hours - Entry Level)

Tiffany Hall, MPA
Recover Alaska is establishing cross-sector efforts to reduce excessive alcohol use and harms. With initiatives that span the continuum of care, we are producing positive outcomes through pronounced community efforts and behavioral health strategies.
Join us to learn more about this work and how to get involved.

Harm Reduction Approach Applied to Substance Use Disorders (1.5 hours - Entry Level)

Adie Callahan, M.Ed, CDC, Brenda Henze-Nelson, M.Ed, MAC, CDC1, and Lindsey Grennan, M.Ed., CDCI
Learn harm reduction philosophy, strategies, and interventions to implement in substance use treatment programs. Increase understanding of harm reduction's use in treatment and decrease stigma of harm reduction. Medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder will be highlighted as an example.

You Can't Start What you Don't Know: Mapping Personal Treatment Plans (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Debbie Emery, MSW
There are known knowns; there are things that we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we don't know. But there are also the unknown unknowns; the ones we don't know we don't know. It's hard to get started on a recovery journey if you don't know what recovery is or how to go about finding recovery. Mapping out personal treatment plans brings a level of clarity that will increase recovery knowledge within the Patient/Client to allow a starting point to emerge.

Marijuana and America: Select Health Issues (3 hours - Entry Level)

Ken Winters, PhD
Marijuana is probably the most commonly used "illicit" drug worldwide, and in the U.S. there is a significant trend toward medicalizing and legalizing it. Several health issues are now more prominent than ever. The science on marijuana's health effects, both positive and negative, is stronger for some areas than others. This talk will provide a summary of the research on two health issues (marijuana use by youth and medical marijuana), and discuss policy implications.
Objectives:

1. Increase appreciation of marijuana use and its possible impact on health.
2. Gain an understanding of myths and truths pertaining to marijuana and its impact on youth and its role as medicine.
3. Increase knowledge of public health approaches to address the current "pro- marijuana" trend in the U.S.

Multi-Generational Legacy of Addiction: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (3 hours - Intermediate Level)

Marilyn Pierce Bulger, MN, FNP-BC, CNM, Kim Jackson, CRC, CDCS, MAC, and Laurie Hume
This presentation will explore the multigenerational & epigenetic impacts of prenatal alcohol exposure. The U.S. prevalence of FASDs is 2-10% of school age children and the brain-based impacts of this disability increase the risk for alcohol/substance use/abuse in adolescence and adulthood for a variety of reasons that will be discussed. The speakers will also discuss gender-specific strategies for substance treatment programs and why stigma interferes with accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Willpower—the Science of Self-Control: Key Teachings from Decision- Neuroscience every Addiction Professional Should Know (3 hours - All Levels)

Christopher La Riche, MD
Free Will is the currency of free societies; we exercise free will whenever we decide. Our decisions are the building blocks of our characters, of morality and personal freedom. Nowhere is the loss of this freedom more painfully obvious than in end-stage addiction. When it comes to working with the resistant client, addiction professionals are expert decision-ologists; interventionists are 'decision-neuroscientists', but rarely are we provided with the basic decision-neuroscience findings we need to enhance our trade. Blending recent insights from neuro-law, neuro-economics and decision-neuroscience with lively anecdote and learning, Dr. La Riche invites you on an interactive journey under the hood of our actions to learn what drives our decisions, our ethical dilemmas and meaning itself.

Opioid Use and Abuse in the Context of a Legal Drug Culture (3 hours - All Levels)

Gerald Shulman, MA. MAX, FACATA
The presentation will begin with a description of our "legal drug culture" that has influenced the current drug epidemic. Included in this section is information of drug marketing in general, direct to consumer marketing (TV) and prescribing patterns. The history of opioid use starting in 3,400 BC (opioid use is not new) and continuing to the current time will be discussed. The effects of opioid addiction, attempts to modify prescribing practices and control access to opioids will demonstrate why the increase in heroin addiction as unintended consequences. The dangers of fentanyl and other analogues (e.g. carfentanil) will be discussed. Those people at higher risk for overdose will be identified. The systems for overdose reversal, and how they save lives but do little alone to stem the opioid epidemic will be described and one potential solution offered. The inadequacy of psychosocial treatment alone for many opioid addicts will be discussed and the description of the current anti-addiction drugs for opioid dependence (methadone, suboxone, and Vivitrol), their similarities and differences, how they work and their role in conjunction with psychosocial treatment. Research results will be presented.

Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for Teens (1.5 hours - Intermediate and Advanced Level)

Ken Winters, PhD
This talk will focus on the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model, an emerging and evidence-based approach to address youth who are showing early signs of substance use. Each component of the model will be reviewed, including specific clinical tools and resources, as applied to adolescents.
Objectives:

1. Increase knowledge of the SBIRT model.
2. Increase understanding of how the model can be applied to substance-using adolescents.
3. Gain insights as to specific tools and resources of each component of the SBIRT model.

Do No Harm: The Ethics of Enticement and Empowerment (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Brandon Burns, BA
The first rule of our industry is Do No Harm. Unfortunately, the industry is growing so rapidly that even when treatment centers and therapists intend to honor the above rule ethics are violated. Patients and families are enticed into treatment rather than being empowered in their pursuit of treatment. Learn how we might shift enticement mechanisms toward empowerment.

"Alexithymia to Zebras"--Brain Hacks for Recovery: Simple Interventions you can Teach your Clients Now, backed by Neuroscience (1.5 hours - Entry Level)

Christopher La Riche, MD
Get ready for a hands-on, highly practical 90 minutes of brain "hacks" you can use immediately with your clients in recovery from substance use disorders and general mental health diagnoses. Dr. La Riche covers a myriad of diagnoses and helpful interventions, supported by well-designed studies, all with the overarching purpose of improving your chances of keeping your clients free from addiction and a recurrence of mental illness. Save time reading journals and increase your therapeutic options - don't miss out these field-tested hacks.

Using the ASAM Criteria Dimensions to Assess Gambling Disorder (1.5 hours - All Levels)

Gerald Shulman, MA, MAC,FACATA
This workshop will begin with screening instruments and then a description of diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling (DSM-5). Similarities and differences between gambling and substance use disorders will be discussed including a comparison of the range of substance use and gambling disorders. This will be followed by a discussion of how the new and revised American Society on Addiction Medicine, Criteria, six assessment dimensions, designed for substance use disorders, can be used in the comprehensive assessment of persons with the entire range of gambling problems. The next step in the process will be the development of a service plan which will assist in recommendations for placement and integrated treatment.

Understanding Traditional Native Spirituality to Aid in Recovery from Addiction (3 hours - Entry Level)

Donna Horton, LCSW, CDCS
Participants will participate in a didactic lecture on the basics of Traditional Native Spirituality and have the opportunity to participate in a Traditional Native American Healing Journey that can be processed in the group.

Urge Surfing for Opiate and Alcohol Users in Early Recovery (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Max Todhunter, M.Ed, CDC1
This 1.5 hour presentation will: briefly describe Urge Surfing in its original formulation, as envisioned by clinical practitioners of the Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention model; briefly present and examine the acute and post-acute withdrawal symptoms as they intersect with top down cognitive treatment approaches; offer an adaptation to urge surfing that uses a bottom up, somatic approach to achieve the same therapeutic objective – decoupling urges and cravings from use behaviors; and suggest a curriculum for group application of both the original Urge Surfing format, and the adapted Urge Surfing format. Participants will be experientially guided through both Urge Surfing approaches.

Overcoming the Stigma of Underutilized yet highly effective treatment Option: Aversion Therapy (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Richard Montgomery, MD
Dr. Richard Montgomery, a Pacific Northwest psychiatrist, will discuss the therapeutic principles inherent to aversion therapy – as well as counterarguments to its use. He will explain how practitioners can individually assess the merits of treatment options and make individual, critical analyses of underutilized and misunderstood treatment modalities.

Engaging Millennials in Treatment. It is Not just About Tweets and Texts (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Jason Friesema, LPC, CAC11
As the millennial generation is reaching early adulthood, the need for innovative and creative approaches to counseling and treatment are becoming increasingly clear. The millennial generation has some unique and new characteristics partially due to the access they have to information and the unique ways they can interact with each other via technology. Some have described the generational shift to the millennials as the largest generation change since the Enlightenment. If this broad statement is remotely accurate, then treatment approaches also need to be informed and adjusted appropriately.

TBI and Suicide: Screening and Assessment (1.5 hours - Intermediate Level)

Eric Boyer, Training Coordinator UAA, AK Training Cooperative
Alaska has one of the highest rates for brain injury and suicide in the country. Recent research shows that people with a history of having TBIs have a higher risk of suicide, 3-4 times that of the typical population. This class will look at the prevalence rates for both TBI and suicide in AK, and how we can be aware of the risk factors for both. Then we will review screening tools for both TBI and suicide.

Assessing for Recovery Support Services(1.5 hours - All Levels)

Gerald Shulman, MA, MAC,FACATA
This workshop will present an explanation of why treatment alone often falls short of the desired outcome. The role and importance of Recovery Support Service will be discussed and a system for assessing patients for Recovery Support Services needs will be presented.