Sessions

NO PARTIAL CREDIT

* * * THERE IS NO PARTIAL CREDIT * * * 
You MUST attend sessions in their entirety. Certificates will be emailed AFTER August 20th.

SESSION-A. Marijuana: Concerns & Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) — Inconvenient Truths

Monday | July 26th | 10:15-11:45 a.m.
Presenter: Darryl S. Inaba, PharmD. CATC-V, CADC III

Description:

48 states and the District of Columbia have now legalized either medical or recreational use of marijuana. As expected, use of cannabis in recreational marijuana legalized states has increased 25% in adolescents, adults and even in those who already recognize having cannabis use disorder (addiction. Increased use by adolescents can be linked to decreased perceptions of harm from marijuana use with legalization. Potency of licit and illicit marijuana continue to increase. Vaping and potent synthetic marijuana has become abundant which can have tragic consequence on the developing brain of adolescent and young adults, AYA (25 yrs. and younger). These brains are also more vulnerable to developing cannabis use disorder. Projections find that 8-9% of those who use marijuana will develop CUD this combined with cannabis legalization, and lack of addiction treatment services for the AYA population is an inconvenient truth states are not ready or even willing to address.

This presentation will look at marijuana as a drug: Its mental health and abuse complications. The botany, chemistry, pharmacology, impact on the adolescent brain and especially the 8-9% of users who develop Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) will be explored. Current treatments of CUD will also be reviewed.

(Sponsored by: Dominion Diagnostics)

SESSION-B. The Confidentiality & Ethics of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Information

Monday | July 26 | 1:45-5:00 p.m.
Presenter: Mark F. Botts, JD

Description:

Under state and federal law, SUD treatment professionals owe a duty of confidentiality to their patients. SUD treatment professionals, as well as other lawful holders of treatment information, must be able to apply the law and resolve ethical issues related to confidentiality that arise in their practices. This session provides a comprehensive overview of the law and uses hypotheticals to illustrate how to apply the law in specific scenarios. Among other things, this session will address:

    • Who must follow the law
    • What information is protected
    • When disclosure is prohibited
    • When disclosure is required by law
    • Patient authorization to disclose
    • Subpoenas and court orders

NOTE: Not eligible for CRCC Ethics Credit.

SESSION-C. Telehealth and Group Therapy: Keeping the Client Engaged

Tuesday | July 27 | 10:15-11:45 a.m.
Presenter: Rakhee Patel, LPA, LCAS, CCS

Description: Telehealth has presented some nuances on how to deliver effective, meaningful therapy and has presented some challenges on how to keep clients engaged in treatment, specifically in group therapy. This session will be a ‘how to’ guide on keeping the substance use client engaged in a telehealth session by using activities, media, and experiential exercises. We will discuss how to utilize CBT and ACT modalities to engage the client in group therapy. This session will also explore challenges in providing telehealth group therapy, focused on confidentiality, management of a group session, and setting guidelines for the group.

SESSION-D. VA Access and Veteran Care

Tuesday | July 27 | 1:45-5:00 p.m.
Presenter: Ivey Chavis, MSW, LCAS

Description: This session will give participants a conceptual view of Veteran’s Administration (VA) Health Care and the care that is provided our nations veterans. Participants will be able to describe the various VA benefits and VA access related to home and community based care and veteran eligibility. Additionally, they will be able to identify the VA resources available to providers to answer their questions and concerns. And, specifically, participants should be able to identify and describe available services for veterans with substance use disorder.

SESSION-E. Prevention in a Changing Marijuana Landscape: Impacts and Legal Implications of THC and CBD

Wednesday | July 28 | 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Amy Ronshausen, BA

Description: This presentation will give an overview of national marijuana laws with a specific highlight on current and pending laws North Carolina. Attendees will gain insight into the implementation of such laws, current trends in use, availability and marketing of both CBD and high potency THC products, and existing research.

SESSION-F. Emerging Trends in Adolescent Treatment

Wednesday | July 28 | 10:15-11:45 a.m.
Presenters: Kurt Arsenault, LCSW

Description: This session will focus on the evolving developments in adolescent treatment, specific to substance use and co-occurring disorders.  We will look at the impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic on the mental health of teens, shifts in diagnostic profiles of young people needing residential treatment, and the delivery of clinical services. 

(Sponsored by: Red Oak Recovery)

SESSION-G. AIDS Ribbons are Gone . . . is Danger?

Wednesday | July 28 | 1:45-5:00 p.m.
Presenter: Eli Branscome, PhD, LCAS, LCMHCS

Description: Like us, our clients are wondering what’s up with HIV. This presentation offers current data on HIV, strategies for avoiding HIV infection, and reasons for optimism & motivation for recovery in people already infected with HIV. We are obligated to provide clients with every available resource for recovery and wellness: prevention (PreP), tests, medication, education, funding, access to care, housing, treatment for SUD. Although 1 in 10 new HIV cases is a person who injects drugs, rates of new infections in PWID declined 31% between 2010 and 2016 (CDC, 2019). This session presents practical steps counselors can take to maintain progress.

(Sponsored by: Southeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center)

SESSION-H. Understanding Current Trends: The Vaping Epidemic

Thursday | July 29 | 8:30-11:45 a.m.
Presenter: Jim D. Martin, MS

Description: This session addresses the growing concern of vaping devices and the types of substances that are commonly found inside vape devices including nicotine and THC. As we discuss the latest research and the physical effects of these substances on the body, we will explore adolescent brain development and effects of e-cigarettes on the developing brain. We will also take a look at the risk factors for use and the protective factors that help prevent use. A discussion on resources and strategies to increase protective factors for our youth will leave attendees with tools for next steps.

SESSION-I. Why Health Equity Matters in Prevention

Thursday | July 29 | 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Nicole Augustine, MPH, MCHES, CPS

Description: Cultural competency, health disparities, and health equity are familiar terms to prevention professionals. A focus on health equity allows communities to direct their prevention strategies towards the most vulnerable populations in the region they serve. In doing this, we contribute to the reduction in health disparities and support initiatives that create community and societal change. In this session, we will explore why health equity matters in prevention, and uncover how culture and personal bias influence substance misuse prevention work.

(Sponsored by: Addiction Professionals of North Carolina)