The New England School of Addiction and Prevention Studies, often called Summer School, is a 4-day intensive learning experience to further knowledge, skills, and experience in the field of substance use disorder services. Each year, participants from many disciplines come together to form a unique, diverse learning community. Cost varies according to course work taken.
Communication
This funny, informative and engaging half-day training focuses on communicating with teenagers about sensitive topics such as substance abuse and mental health.
The first training session is a keynote style presentation titled, Using Endorphins Wisely: The Science Behind Laughing, Meditating, Reducing Stress and Managing Your Emotions. This engaging program will involve stand-up comedy, audience participation and inspiring stories. It is meant to kick off the day with some energy, in addition to demonstrating Matt’s style when presenting to youth.
In the second session, Dr. Bellace relies more on his training as a clinical neuropsychologist to present the science behind the concepts he mentioned in the keynote. The topics covered include the developing brain, social support, communication and screen time, the neuroscience of meditation and other coping skills, substance abuse (e.g. vaping, THC, alcohol) and mental health. This session is intended to be interactive, so feel free to ask questions.
The final session has the potential to be the most fun, since it involves you! In the remaining time, Dr. Bellace will lead a discussion of effective speaking techniques when working with youth. In addition, he will encourage select members of the audience to put together a brief (2-3 minute) presentation about a prevention topic they feel teenagers need to hear. Dr. Bellace will create a supportive environment to debrief what worked and what could be improved the next time.
Prevention professionals regularly face situations that involve ethics. This workshop is designed for advanced prevention professionals that explore the types of ethical dilemmas prevention practitioners face while working in the field, and the utility of the Prevention Code of Ethics in helping them respond appropriately. In particular, this course will focus on of the application of ethical principles related to the use of social media in prevention work and the elements of a sound ethics policy for organizations and coalitions. The course is designed for experienced prevention professionals and will use role-playing, discussions, and didactic presentations to better understand the important role ethics plays in these two areas of concern.
Early bird registration fee $45.00 if you pay by Wednesday June 17th, 2020. Registration Fee includes Continental breakfast and lunch.
One of the simplest ways to honor others is to affirm who they are. None of us can have healthy relationships with people who invalidate, minimize, or dismiss us. In this workshop, we’ll dismantle and examine what we think of as gender and then reassemble those pieces with a greater understanding of how gender works in our culture. We will also explore language, pronouns, and allyship.
Participants who successfully complete this 3 hour workshop will:
• Become more familiar with language relating to gender identity.
• Understand the components of gender (identity, expression, sex assigned at birth, and chromosomes).
• Learn about the impact of culture and society on gender presentation and expression.
• Discuss the importance of being an ally to those who are gender variant.
• Explore how relationships are strengthened by honoring and affirming others experiences of gender.
Registration Fee includes a continental breakfast.
The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in crisis.
Thank you for making time for this two day training. We are excited to work with you all. This opportunity is available for TWO people from your organization who work with young people in any capacity.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders.
A three-part training series focused on building youth engagement skills and expanding your professional learning networks.
Join the Maine Youth Action Network’s team for this free training opportunity! Participate in a learning cohort with other emerging leaders in the youth engagement field. This series provides participants with train-the-trainer content on youth mentoring best practices, engagement & retention strategies, and youth facilitation strategies. You’ll leave with training materials, strengthened skills and deeper connections to other youth workers in your community.
Part 1- Youth Mentoring Strategies -Feb 28th @ Bangor Public Library – Bangor, ME 9:30-4:00
Part 2 -Youth Engagement and Retention April 9th @ TBA – 9:30-4:00
Part 3 – Facilitating for Youth Voice June 3rd @ TBA – 9:30-4:00
Over the course of these trainings, attendees will be working in peer cohorts to build and strengthen their networks and professional communities. Due to this structure, if you are interested in only attending one of these training please email allyson.gardner@opportunityalliance.org to be placed on our wait list.
A three-part training series focused on building youth engagement skills and expanding your professional learning networks.
Join the Maine Youth Action Network’s team for this free training opportunity! Participate in a learning cohort with other emerging leaders in the youth engagement field. This series provides participants with train-the-trainer content on youth mentoring best practices, engagement & retention strategies, and youth facilitation strategies. You’ll leave with training materials, strengthened skills and deeper connections to other youth workers in your community.
Part 1- Youth Mentoring Strategies -December 6th @ The Point Community Center -South Portland 9:30-4:00
Part 2 -Youth Engagement and Retention February 7th @ The Opportunity Alliance – Timbers Meeting Room – South Portland 9:30-4:00
Part 3 – Facilitating for Youth Voice April 3rd @ The Point Community Center – South Portland 9:30-4:00
Over the course of these trainings, attendees will be working in peer cohorts to build and strengthen their networks and professional communities. Due to this structure, if you are interested in only attending one of these trainings please email allyson.gardner@opportunityalliance.org to be placed on our wait list.
Whether you are already providing consent education, or don’t know where to start, this training is for you!
As a result of this training, participants will:
- Be able to define consent.
- Understand Maine’s new consent education law.
- Identify age-appropriate messages and strategies for addressing consent.
- Share lesson plans and ideas for incorporating consent in their work with youth, in and out of the classroom
Lunch is included in the registration fee.
The words we choose have an impact. How we talk about drug use and people who use drugs is informed by our preconceived notions and internalized biases. When we use words like “clean,” we necessarily imply that the opposite is “dirty.” Opioid Use Disorder continues to be a highly stigmatized medical condition, despite many advancements in our understanding of the neurobiological, social, and environmental determinants that impact individual health. People with an Opioid Use Disorder continue to report high rates of discrimination from medical providers, service denials from government entities, and continued unfair targeting by law enforcement. The ramifications of stigma in care environments are far reaching and further compound the opioid crisis. During this workshop, participants will explore personal biases related to opioid use and examine the way that these biases present in language. We will consider the effects that stigmatizing speech and actions have on people who use drugs, and we will discuss how to create an affirming environment that will enhance care for people who use drugs.
Registration fee includes a continental breakfast and lunch.
This workshop is two 1/2 days (August 9th and August 23rd) will provide participants with eight parenting skills they can immediately use with parents who are struggling to raise children, including skills to help regulate emotions, communicate with kids and avoid judgments. The skills are drawn from Dick’s Dialectical Parenting Group, based on the DBT theoretical framework. Participants will receive handouts and homework they can use in their practice. The workshop is a good fit for mental health and substance abuse professionals, parent educators and parents themselves. It will take place in two 4-hour sessions on two different days. The first day will be spent with participants learning skills while day two will include skills and discussion of participant’s use of the skills.
Early bird registration fee $50.00 if paid by August 7th, 2019. Fee includes a continental breakfast.