* * * THERE IS NO PARTIAL CREDIT * * *
You MUST attend sessions in their entirety.
Certificates will be emailed approx. 4-6 weeks after the School.
Presenter: Dale Willetts
Description: Coming Soon.
Presenter: Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW
Description: Coming Soon.
Presenter: Noga Zerubavel, PhD, LP, HSP
Description: Working with individuals who have experienced trauma can impact providers in a variety of ways. Experiencing secondary traumatic stress (STS) is one of the occupational challenges of working closely with individuals who have experienced victimization and violence. This presentation focuses on recognizing signs and symptoms of STS and implementing evidence-based strategies that help prevent and reduce STS while enhancing resilience.
Objectives:
Identify indicators of secondary traumatic stress reactions
Describe three strategies to increase provider resiliency and mitigate negative effects of secondary traumatic stress.
Presenter: Stephanie Jackson Grier, MS, LCAS
Description: This presentation will summarize the major psychopharmacological framework underlying SUD and the factors that involve in the transformation of some people from recreational use or misuse of alcohol or drugs to SUD. It briefly discusses how psychoactive substances produce changes in brain functioning that facilitate the development of addictive behaviors, including gambling, food addiction, sex addiction, cyber addiction, workaholism, codependent behaviors, etc. as it contributes to craving which eventually leads to relapse. I will discuss the reward pathway of the brain that deals with similarities and differences among various classes of addictive behaviors and their effects on the brain that contributes to constant “wanting” and unfulfillment. Exploration and education on identifying the “reward” our minds create to keep us in these addictive cycles.
Description: Cannabis policy in the United States is evolving rapidly, reshaping public attitudes, prevention efforts, treatment strategies, and recovery pathways. As legalization expands and cannabis products become increasingly potent and commercially marketed, healthcare and prevention professionals face a more complex environment than ever before. Today’s cannabis is markedly different from that of prior decades, with higher tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations, novel formulations, concentrated products, and increased availability. Simultaneously, misconceptions regarding safety, medical use, dependence potential, and mental health effects continue to influence public behavior. Recent national data indicate cannabis use continues to rise among adults, while perceptions of harm have declined substantially among adolescents and young adults.
This plenary provides a clinically grounded, evidence-informed overview of cannabis prevention, treatment, and recovery in the modern legalization era. Participants will examine current epidemiology, legalization trends, neurobiology, high-potency THC concerns, cannabis use disorder (CUD), psychiatric and medical implications, youth prevention strategies, screening and treatment interventions, and recovery approaches. Emphasis will be placed on practical, real-world implications for prevention, healthcare, and behavioral health systems navigating the changing cannabis landscape. Recent evidence regarding cannabis potency, adolescent vulnerability, psychosis risk, and public health policy will be integrated throughout.
Learning Objectives
At the completion of this plenary, participants will be able to: