2008 Special Topics

Special topics meet 10:30-Noon, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
Institute faculty, participants, and resource persons will provide special topic presentations (1.5 hours and mini-workshops (4.5 hours). Choose one mini-workshop or 3 special topics to attend.

Monday, June 2

ST-1 Cultural Competency 101
Faculty: Victoria Youngblood, MS, CAC III, LPC, Colorado Springs, Colorado
This session will address delivery of services to monolingual Spanish speaking populations. The presentation will have a clinical focus to help educate clinicians in practical interviewing skills along with practical logistics  to cultural competence. The session will address specific cultural knowledge needed to deliver services for these special populations.

ST-2 FORGIVENESS: THE ACT OF "LETTING GO"
Faculty: Bob Storrer, Jr., CAC I., Weidman, Michigan
"Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it foregoes revenge, and dares forgive an injury".In this session, participants will gain insight into the dynamics of how 'justifiable anger and resentments' bind us to the past, perpetuating bitterness and hatred, fueling addiction. Utilizing current research and approaches, participants will process what forgiveness is and is not and identify approaches to integrate the dynamic of forgiveness into the therapeutic process to facilitate the process of "letting go" and to moving on with life.

ST-3  Integrating Substance Abuse Treatment Services with Primary Health Care in Rural America
Faculty: Tom Stanitis, MS, MHS, Columbia, Maryland
The objective of this presentation is to provide participants with an overview o rural health care systems and strategies to integrate substance abuse services into primary health care settings, including rural hospitals. The workshop will discuss guidelines for primary care clinicians to follow in Caring for Patients with Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Disorders (TIP 24). This section of the presentation will also include a discussion on Alcohol and Other Drug Screening of Hospitalized Trauma Patients (TIP 16). Participants will be asked to identify critical issues facing the rural health care service providers and problems of integrating AOD services into mainstream rural health delivery systems, including intervention.

ST-4 Folklore and Recovery
Faculty: Pat Wiley, CADC, Clintonville, Wisconsin
Pat Wiley will encourage and show participants how to incorporate folklore as a non-threatening experiential way to gain insight into self-image. He will also identify ways that traditions can be used in enhancing the client’s well-being.

ST-5 Pharmacologic Interventions for Addictive Disorders  
Faculty: Kirk Moberg, MD, PhD, Urbana, Illinois
This presentation will survey medications used to treat addiction with a special focus on alcohol and opioid addiction. The attendee will also be exposed to recent research in this area.

ST-6 Sustainability of Alcohol and Drug Treatment and Prevention
Faculty: Charlie Williams, CEAP, CPP, M.H.S., NewSolutionsHealth and formerly SAMHSA/DHHS (retired), Clarksville, Maryland
This will be a hands-on workshop to help participants: 1) identify specific barriers and constraints for maintaining adequate funding, 2) identify realistic funding goals to match  more clearly identified needs, 3) identify best strategies to secure stable funding, 4) review available funding streams at the Federal, State, Local and private sector levels, 5) identify at least one potential new funding strategy that they can work on back home.  Historical trends in healthcare funding and impact on behavioral health resources will be reviewed with specific emphasis on the needs of rural alcohol and drug program providers. The presenter welcomes questions and the sharing of challenges faced by rural providers and sincerely hopes participants will leave this workshop more empowered to face the challenges of sustaining their organization and program services, and even their own livelihood.

Tuesday, June 3

ST-7 Federal Resource Panel
Faculty:  Hal Krause, MPA, Public Health Analyst, CSAT (moderator), Rockville, Maryland
Federal Agency representatives will present key federal policies, program and funding information.  The presenters welcome questions and sharing by rural participants

ST-8 HFS 75 Administrative Rule Changes and DRL Rule Question & Answer
Faculty: Lorie A. Goeser, Substance abuse Treatment Services Coordinator-Senior, Madison, Wisconsin
This session will consist of a presentation of the current Wisconsin Administrative Rules governing community based substance abuse services and requirements for providers and clinicians.

Review of the changes pending and made up to the date of conference, interface of Department of Regulation & Licensing requirements for professionals providing substance abuse services in Wisconsin with this Administrative rule.

Last component of session would include questions and answer session for participants.

Goals:

ST-9 Cultural Considerations when working with Native Americans with Co-occurring Disorders
Faculty: Ellen Durkin, MSW, Fort Pierre, South Dakota
This presentation will define co-occurring disorders (substance use disorders and mental health issues) and what providers should know when delivering services to Indian people who are dually diagnosed. There are distinct factors among Indian people that providers should be aware of regarding trauma, family systems and community practices. Unique cultural differences impact assessments, interventions and treatment planning. This presentation will include case presentation to exemplify cultural practice guidelines.

ST-11 Stress and Coping for the Treatment Professional
Faculty: David Benzer, DO, Fifty Lakes, Minnesota
Most of the time, the focus of our attention is on the needs of our clients. For 90 minutes we will focus on ourselves, our needs and how we can effectively cope with the demands our clients, our families, our lives. Get selfish for a brief while and explore well-being for the treatment professional.

ST-12  Withdrawal Syndromes and their Management
Faculty: Kirk Moberg, MD, PhD, Urbana, Illinois
This session will provide:

Wednesday, June 4

 

ST-13 The Spirituality of Suffering
Faculty: Bob Storrer, Jr., CAC I, Weidman, Michigan
"Suffering is inevitable - growth is optional". This workshop will explore addiction as a progressive, systematic,and predictable process, with increasing negative consequences,despair, misery, and pain. Utilizing various models and perspectives,participants will identify, process, and gain understanding of suffering as a spiritual, transformative means of taking a 'blind' leap of faith into recovery and wellness.

ST-14 Humor in Treatment and Recovery
Faculty: Fritz Beck, CADC III, Sheboygan, Wisconsin
The presenter will show how to incorporate humor into therapeutic sessions; wellness as a coping tool, ability to laugh at oneself, appropriate and inappropriate humor; importance of spontaneity in creating a humorous situation and negative aspects of humor.

ST-15 Medical Consequences of Alcohol Use
Faculty: Kirk Moberg, MD, PhD, Urbana, Illinois
This presentation will summarize the damage that can result from alcohol abuse. The presentation will be organized by organ system. The evidence that suggests that moderate alcohol consumption has health benefits will also be discussed.

ST-16 Providing Services in Rural Communities to Persons with Co-existing Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Disorders
Faculty: Tom Stanitis, MS, MHS, Columbia, Maryland
This presentation will discuss the special issues associated with intervening and providing services to persons with co-existing mental illness and substance abuse disorders who live in rural communities. There are many barriers to intervention and treatment that are exacerbated by remoteness and lack of services in rural settings. The presentation will also discuss the similarities and differences between the mental health and addiction treatment systems, corresponding differences in philosophy and treatment and strategies for providing services.

ST-17 The Clinical Pharmacology of Benzodiazepines and other Sedatives
Faculty: David Benzer, DO,  Fifty Lakes, Minnesota
The benzodiazepines (benzox), are a complex group of sedative drugs whose pharmacology lends itself to many important clinical uses and much potential for abuse. This presentation will explore the members of this drug class and look at use, misuse, and pharmacology issues. Special attention will be given to withdrawal and detox issues.

ST-18 Simple Gifts Prevention for Everyone:
Using Low-Cost, Powerful, Proven Evidence-Base Kernels for Rural Communities
Dennis D. Embry, Ph.D., President/CEO PAXIS Institute
Simple Gifts or evidence-based kernels are a powerful way to make prevention an everyday activity in communities everywhere—especially rural communities that cannot afford evidence-based programs in time, money or personnel.

Every month, trusted scientific journals publish studies about low-cost or no-cost preventive strategies. These strategies are scientifically known as behavioral kernels. They can dramatically reduce or prevent the burden of many afflictions harming our children, youth and adults.  They can improve everyone’s well-being. The Simple Gifts Initiative™ is about spreading kernels to every community.  Here’s why…

In a time of diminishing prevention resources and populations, rural communities bear excessive burden in risk for preventable problems such as substance abuse, mental illness, learning disabilities, and more.  The problem is that rural communities don’t have the money, personnel or time to implement complex evidence-base programs.  It’s difficult to get training and support in rural communities, to secure trained personnel, or to have the one professional on every committee.  Unfortunately, the prevalence of problems is rising in rural communities as fast as inner cities.  Rural America is being left out of prevention.  Fortunately, there is an alternative.

With Prevention for Everyone,

…health-care costs can be contained

…community safety can be improved

…more children will do well in school

…Fewer children will have developmental disabilities or need special education

…America can compete better in the global economy

…and the future will be healthier for all generations

Why is this necessary?

For the first time in America’s history, a majority of adults think the world will be worse for their children and grandchildren.  For the first time since American Independence, the expected lifespan of children today will be less than ours—five years less according to the New England Journal of Medicine.

What are Kernels?

Kernels are smallest unit of scientifically proven methods to influence behavior. There are over 50 no-cost or low-cost evidence based kernels already documented. The list is growing as scientists understand this break-through in thinking. Kernels should be known and used as soon as possible in every American community.

Here are just a few examples of kernels with preventive or treatment effects: