Learning Opportunities

SAMHSA’s Providers Clinical Support System - Medications for Opioid Use Disorders (PCSS-MOUD) is hosting a new and exciting 8-part podcast series that delves into the critical importance of harm reduction. This series consists of 30-minute episodes hosted by distinguished members of the Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance Use and Addiction (AMERSA).

PCSS-MOUD is a SAMHSA-funded national training, guidance, and clinical mentoring program to enhance the capacity of healthcare and counseling professionals to identify and treat opioid use disorder (OUD). PCSS-MOUD trains health professionals to provide effective, evidence-based, medication treatments to patients with opioid use disorder in primary care, psychiatric care, substance use disorder treatment, and pain management settings.

Each episode of the podcast series will feature experts across different fields, providing a well-rounded perspective on harm reduction.

The first podcast of the series, Test Your Drugs, Not Your Limits - The Role of Advanced Drug Checking in Harm Reduction, aired July 11 and highlights how community-based advanced drug checking supports people who use drugs, harm reduction staff, and clinical providers.

The second podcast, Harm Reduction in the Hospital: Meeting People Where They Are, aired on July 18.

Register and receive notification as new episodes become available and to listen to previously aired podcasts in the series.

Family treatment courts (FTCs), like all drug courts, historically focused on treating substance use disorders (SUDs). However, FTCs cannot maintain this singular focus since 45% of adults with an SUD in the general population also live with a co-occurring mental health disorder. People with an untreated co-occurring disorder are less likely to complete substance use treatment or achieve sustained recovery; they are also more likely to experience unemployment, homelessness, child welfare involvement, incarceration, and suicide.

Many dependency court professionals recognize the prevalence of co-occurring disorders. Still, due to complexities in screening, assessment, diagnosis, and securing mental health services, FTCs may not appropriately identify and treat parents with co-occurring disorders. This session examines the interactive nature of substance use and mental health disorders, while providing strategies for improved approaches and outcomes for parents and their children.

Learning Objectives:

• Summarize definitions and prevalence rates of co-occurring disorders and explore theories of how and why substance use and mental health disorders co-occur.
• Identify complexities and opportunities in screening and assessment to more accurately identify parents with co-occurring disorders.
• Apply evidence-based approaches for integrated treatment and recovery.
• Adopt strategies from FTCs that successfully serve parents with co-occurring disorders.

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) invites you to attend the Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program 2024 National Conference, scheduled for August 13-15, 2024, in the Washington, D.C, area. The theme is “PDMPs: Collaborating to Address the Prescription Drug Crisis.” This event is one of the largest in the nation for PDMPs with 2½ days of collaboration, innovation, and progress in addressing the prescription drug crisis.

This conference will bring together PDMP administrators and staff members, other state and federal officials, industry leaders, and the public in a pivotal platform for sharing insights, strategies, and best practices in combating prescription drug misuse. Throughout the conference, attendees will engage in an array of interactive sessions, workshops, and discussions aimed at addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by substance misuse. From highlighting pioneering technological advancements to examining legislative frameworks and policy implementations, participants will have the opportunity to glean invaluable knowledge from peers and experts alike.

At the heart of the conference lies the exchange of accomplishments and achievements, as PDMP representatives unveil their impactful initiatives. From successful intervention programs to data-driven approaches, each presentation offers a glimpse into the collective efforts driving progress in the fight against substance misuse.

Beyond the formal agenda, the Harold Rogers PDMP Conference fosters an environment of networking and collaboration, where attendees can forge meaningful connections, cultivate partnerships, and lay the groundwork for future collaborations. Whether in breakout sessions, roundtable discussions, or informal networking events, the exchange of ideas and experiences serves to strengthen the collective resolve to combat substance abuse on a national scale.

This conference is sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), which funds the Harold Rogers PDMP grants, in partnership with the PDMP TTAC at the Institute for Intergovernmental Research.

Meeting Registration

Anyone interested in attending this event is welcome. There is no registration fee, and details about reserving a hotel room at the conference rate will be shared after completing the meeting registration form. Seating and hotel availability are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.

If you have any questions, please contact pdmpttac@iir.com.

Join the National Family Treatment Court Program for the September Idea Exchange, where the topic will be the continuation of the conversation following the Practice Academy course—Intentional Integration: How to Identify and Support Parents With Co-Occurring Disorders. Many dependency court professionals recognize the prevalence of co-occurring disorders. Still, due to complexities in screening, assessment, diagnosis, and securing mental health services, family treatment courts may not appropriately identify and treat parents with co-occurring disorders. Come take part in a lively conversation with peers from across the country and discuss strategies, share innovations, and brainstorm solutions to challenges and barriers!

Recovery is a process, and family treatment courts (FTCs) are a time-limited acute intervention in a family’s life. FTCs must blend aftercare planning into their program design to best support parents and their children after case closure. Aftercare plans, also known as “continuing care plans,” can provide parents with structure, accountability, and needed ongoing services to both parents and children after child welfare, treatment services, and the FTC no longer remain a central part of their lives. This Practice Academy shares the "do's and don'ts" of aftercare planning, highlights innovative approaches to continuing care, and offers strategies and examples that FTC teams use to support sustained family recovery.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the purpose and process of aftercare planning.
• Establish do's and don'ts of aftercare planning.
• Apply lessons about aftercare planning successes and challenges from FTC alumni in sustained recovery.
• Adopt strategies from recovery research and innovative FTCs focused on sustained recovery.

Join the National Family Treatment Court Program for the December Idea Exchange, where the topic will be the continuation of the conversation following the Practice Academy course—Sustained Recovery: Don’t Make Aftercare an Afterthought. Recovery is a process, and family treatment courts (FTCs) are a time-limited acute intervention in a family’s life. FTCs must blend aftercare planning into its program design to best support parents and their children after case closure. Aftercare plans can provide parents with structure, accountability, and needed ongoing services to both parents and children after child welfare, treatment services, and the FTC no longer remain a central part of their lives. Come take part in a lively conversation with peers from across the country and discuss strategies, share innovations, and brainstorm solutions to challenges and barriers!

The 6th Annual National Law Enforcement Summit presented by the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI) will be held in Tampa, Florida, on February 25-26, 2025. The specific location will be announced soon.

This two-day gathering will unite law enforcement, public safety, and public health leaders from across the nation. Whether you are in the early stages of establishing non-arrest deflection programs or actively participating in them, this summit will offer valuable insights into pathways to treatment and recovery.