The Opioid Epidemic Conference, November 18th

November 14, 2016

Quinnipiac University, collaborating with the CT Women’s Consortium, will host a day long workshop, The Opioid Epidemic: Assessment, Intervention, and Call to Action: A Public Health Approach, on November 18th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Dr. Charles Atkins, MD will lead a list of panelists, including Representative Sean Scanlon, State Representative – House District 98 (Branford & Guilford), Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, PhD, Commissioner, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Thomas Davoren, Chief of Police, City of Groton, Allison Kernan, Advocate and Person in Recovery, Amy DiMauro, LCSW, Director of Adolescent Services, Adult Services, & Prevention Programs, Rushford, and Karen Zaorski, MSW Advocate and Community Organizer. The workshop will explore the opioid public health crisis, including the current state of the crisis, how it progressed to this point, and what strategies, including medication-assisted treatment and legislative fixes, are currently being implemented. The program will focus both on the  public-health perspective and how to accurately assess an individual with an opioid-use disorder. The panelists will review gender, culture, and age-specific factors, including pregnancy and the post-partum period. The workshop will also explore a whole-person approach to treatment, as the majority of individuals with opioid-use disorders will have at least one co-occurring mental health problem and often other related medical issues. This will include strategies to assist with diagnosis and how to construct treatment to ensure that all active issues are addressed. The content includes the use of standard diagnostic criteria, public-domain screening tools, current psychopharmacological interventions, and a broad range of evidence-based therapeutic and theoretical strategies (CBT, DBT, 12-step, Motivational Enhancement, Stage of Change Theory, Harm Reduction, Recovery, trauma-based therapies, Peer Support, Wellness etc.).  The Opioid Epidemic workshop counts as six CEU credits and admission is $85, which includes lunch. For more information, or to register for the workshop, click here.