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Substance Use

Tobacco and Substance Use Prevention and Control Program Prevention Professionals Day (Save the Date)

This conference is intended for community prevention and public health professionals; coalition members; tobacco, substance use and mental health prevention and health promotion practitioners; program managers and administrators; state agency prevention staff; volunteers and task force members; and others who deliver tobacco, substance use and mental health prevention services or who are interested in prevention issues and practice. More information to follow.

Alcohol Prevention Conference

This one day conference is an educational opportunity for professionals working with young adults, ages 18-25, to understand alcohol use issues in Maine and learn practical skills to apply in local communities. Early bird registration fee $25.00 if you pay by August 7th.  Registration fee includes continental breakfast and lunch.

Populations at Risk for OUDs: Risk Factors, Signs and Symptoms

Please join Eric Haram for this half-day, action-oriented session on Friday, May 31, 2019 to explore the essentials of identifying risk factors, screening, and treatment of individuals with Opioid Use Disorder.  As Maine continues to face an epidemic of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and drug overdose deaths, it is essential for behavioral health and health care clinicians and organizational teams to understand the factors that contribute to individual and population risk for developing OUD, as well as ways to identify and treat individuals with this too-often deadly condition.  Please join us and learn how you can be part of the solution!  Registration fee includes a continental breakfast.

New England School of Addiction and Prevention Studies

With nearly 100 courses covering dozens of important topics, the New England Summer School is an event not to be missed. Click here for further program information. Coursework has been designed for new substance use disorder counselors, seasoned counselors, prevention specialists, recovery coaches, recovery organizers, criminal justice professionals, agency administrators, allied social service professionals, and all who encounter substance use disorders in their work. We encourage you to register as soon as possible to ensure your course choices. Click here to check out the agenda and course list. More detailed course descriptions may be downloaded here.

Commuter Tuition Cost:  4-Day Commuter: $645; 3-Day Commuter: $495; 2-Day Commuter: $345; 1-Day Commuter: $235

Addressing Substance Use in Rural Areas
More than 1 in 5 Americans live within a rural area … where economic, religious, historical, and geographic factors combine to create a unique culture that influences mental health outcomes, physical health conditions, and health behaviors.  By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to define and articulate: Rural Definition and Statistics, Rural Culture-Rurality, Rural Issues/Barriers Related to Health, Substance Use and Opioid Use, Substance Use and Opioid Use in Rural Areas, Four Factors Explaining Opioid Use Rates in Rural Areas, Training Workforce in Rurality.  Registration fee includes a Continental Breakfast.
Maternal and Child Health & Substance Exposed Infant Conference

This two-day conference is an opportunity for professionals working with families to discuss strategies to optimize maternal and child health in Maine. Presenters each day will provide a host of information related to Social Determinants of health, Trauma Informed care, Eat Sleep Console, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Maternal Depression, Prenatal Substance Exposure and resources available for working with families in Maine. Registration includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

 

Reducing Stigma and Using Harm Reduction When Working with People Who Use Opioids

Inherent in the way we talk about things is how we think of those same things. 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 the many advancements in neurobiology and a fuller understanding of social and environmental determinants of health. In spite of these many advancements, people with an Opioid Use Disorder continue to report high rates of discrimination from medical providers, denial of services from government entities, and continued targeting by law enforcement. The ramifications of stigma in care environments are manifold and further compound the opioid crisis. During this workshop participants will explore personal biases related to opioid use and the way that these emerge in language, the ramifications of stigma against people who use drugs and how to create an affirming environment that will enhance care for people who use drugs. Registration fee includes a light lunch. Early bird fee $35.00 if you pay by April 23, 2019.

Reducing Stigma When Working With People Who Use Drugs

Inherent in the way we talk about things is how we think of those same things. When we use words like “clean” we necessarily imply that the opposite is “dirty.” Substance Use Disorder continues to be a highly stigmatized medical condition despite the many advancements in neurobiology and a fuller understanding of social and environmental determinants of health. In spite of these many advancements, people with a Substance Use Disorder continue to report high rates of discrimination from medical providers, denial of services from government entities, and continued targeting by law enforcement. The ramifications of stigma in care environments are manifold and further compound the opioid crisis. During this workshop participants will explore personal biases related to drug use and the way that these emerge in language, the ramifications of stigma against people who use drugs and how to create an affirming environment that will enhance care for people who use drugs. Early bird fee $35.00 if you pay by April 24th. Fee includes a light lunch.

Substance Abuse in Older Adults: Myths and Misconceptions

Substance abuse in older adults is a complex and often silent epidemic. It is underestimated, under identified, under diagnosed and under treated. Multiple chronic illnesses, polypharmacy and physiological effects of aging, can all lead to misuse. Substance abuse and misuse among older people is often overlooked, mistaking the symptoms for those of dementia, depression, or other problems common to older adults. Join Dr. Fingerman as she discusses and dispels common myths and misconceptions about addiction in older adults. Participants will then be in a better position to identify misuse/abuse and provide direction for patients and their families. Continental Breakfast included.

What is SBIRT?

The Maine AAP is committed to helping practitioners identify youth on this path so we can intervene earlier! Screening Brief Intervention Referral to Treatment is one evidence-based approach to doing this. Please consider joining us to enhance your skills in identifying and offering brief interventions in the primary care settings for youth on the path to substance use disorders. Motivational Interviewing is a technique using specific skills and has proven to yield better outcomes when used in the strategic treatment of youth engaging in substance misuse.