Prevention Professionals Conference is designed to offer Maine’s Prevention Community a broad range of learning opportunities. The conference will focus on providing information and resources for the field of tobacco and substance use prevention including building resilience and protective factors as a prevention strategy; innovative approaches to addressing health disparities; framing and messaging; comorbidity tobacco and marijuana use; and engagement of youth in prevention. The program includes both panel presentations and plenary sessions that will provide the opportunity for interaction among participants. SAVE THE DATE
Healthcare Professional
Each year, pediatricians, family physicians, nurses, mental health clinicians, and other child health affiliates throughout Maine gather at our educational conferences for professional development and networking. Key topics for this year’s conference include childhood trauma and mental illness, promoting post-trauma growth using the Trauma Responsive Framework, the management and treatment of obesity, suicide risk assessment and treatment, human trafficking in Maine, Innovative Plans of Care for Substance Exposed Children & Families including Fetal Alchohol Syndrome, and substance use and vaping among adolescents. SAVE THE DATE
An educational opportunity to discuss strategies to optimize maternal and child health. Presenters will discuss healthy pregnancy (prenatal and postpartum), healthy infants and children, programs and supports for families and children affected by substance use, innovative approaches for working with families, and the many resources available to this population.
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Through the normalization of gambling and increased access to a wide variety of gambling opportunities, as well as the stigma associated problem gambling, it is important to bring attention to gambling disorder, to educate the people of Maine about this public health issue and to find solutions to barriers we are currently facing in the prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery of problem gambling. This conference will feature expert speakers to lead conversations on trends in Maine and beyond, integrating problem gambling as a co-occurring disorder, recognizing the danger of suicide in problem gamblers and providing interventions and resources for safety, and guiding us to find solutions and ways to bring stakeholders to the table.
Early bird fee of $35.00 if paid before 5/29/2020.
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.
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.
This training will review the new diagnostic criteria in the DSM-V related to the substance use disorders as well as each of the major categories of the substances of abuse. The substances reviewed will include the narcotics, the stimulants, the sedative-hypnotics including alcohol, the hallucinogens, as well the latest designer drugs. In addition, the current issues related to vaping and commonly misused medication will be reviewed. Participants will also review current medication assisted treatments used to assist clients in stabilization and recovery from the substance use disorders.
This training will be activity based utilizing multiple case studies and scenarios to challenge, teach, and reinforce ethical problem solving. Issues related to the range of current treatment modalities and their impact upon the evolution of ethical practice will be explored. In addition, issues of vicarious trauma and self-care as ethical premises will be discussed.
Registration fee includes a continental breakfast and light 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.