Presenter list for 2016 conference

Becky Vaughn(National Council for Behavioral Health, Washington DC)

Cheryl Martin BSN, MA, CASAC, Fred Hintz BA CASAC, James Riter LCSW, Joseph Scripa LMSW CASAC, Richard Wellman BA (Motivational Interviewing Community, Syracuse)

Motivational Interviewing: A Standard for Excellence in Practice

Cheryl and Fred will facilitate a panel discussion on MI. Panelists will also include additional MI trainers Jim Riter, Hutchings Outpatient Clinic Manager, Rick Wellman, Health Home Care Coordinator, and Joe Scripa, Dual Recovery Coordinator. The panel will discuss MI's value as a best practice standard and an update on the implementation of MI in the community.

David Hamilton Ph.D. LMSW (Executive Secretary, State Board for Social Work, Albany)

What You Need to Know About Social Work Licensure and Continuing Education

This session will afford social workers an opportunity to discuss recertification and continuing education questions and concerns.

Deborah Mendelsohn, PA-C(Marworth, Waverly PA)

Understanding Brain Chemistry/Neurotransmitters and psychotropic medications

The first part of the lecture will be to review the main "feel good" neurotransmitters; Endorphins, Serotonin, Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Oxytocin along with the main inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA. Acetylcholine will also be reviewed as it plays a major role in short term memory. The second part of the lecture will be to review current psychotropic medications available for the treatment of mood disorders and will discuss how neurotransmitters are either increased or blocked by these medications.

Donna Knapp(Prevention Network, Syracuse)

Environmental Prevention Strategies – Building Coalitions to Address Community Issues Impacting Drinking and Other Drug Use

The field of prevention has expanded beyond direct contact with youth and adults. Traditionally, methods of education and awareness have been used to reduce substance abuse. Now a focus on coalition-building and collaboration has emerged to address broader policy issues. As a result, healthier environments for families and communities are created and reduce access to alcohol and other drugs, and create positive alternatives. When local agencies, policy makers, law enforcement, and CBO’s work together the results mean improvements in the social fabric of our cities and towns. Come learn about successful models of coalitions working with these goals in mind and how treatment and intervention programs benefit from such efforts.

Gregory Allen MSW (Director, Program Development and Management, Office of Health Insurance Programs, New York State Department of Health, Albany)

Medicaid and Behavioral Health in 2016

This session will offer an overview of issues facing New York State Medicaid as they relate to behavioral healthcare, how the managed care system is responding and New York State’s care management approach. The session will also offer updates on DSRIP and Value based payment. The session will conclude with an overview of the challenges ahead for upstate providers.

L. Pilosi MS CTRS (Marworth, Waverly PA)

Therapeutic Recreation Interventions for Persons with Addiction

The session will highlight a variety of experiential Therapeutic Recreation Interventions used in an in-patient treatment setting for persons with addiction and the use of metaphoric transfer to life in 12 step recovery.

Nathan Rauscher LMSW CASAC (Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare, Syracuse)

Tolerance development and overdose in opiate/opioid addiction

This session will discuss the development of tolerance to opiates and the role that changes in use can have on overdose risk. Participants will receive this information within the context of changes to one agencies client demographics over the past decade. This course will also examine overdose prevention strategies including Narcan.

Patricia Rayna CCAR CPS (Independent Contractor: Peer Recovery Services)

Peer Recovery Services in New York State: The Next Right Thing

This will be an interactive presentation. There will be a combination of PowerPoint and group participation. The participants will have an opportunity to interact with each other in a small group exercise created to provide them with a better understanding of how peer services and supports work. There will be time built in for questions and answers throughout the presentation as well as at the end.

Robert Kent (NYS OASAS General Counsel, Albany)

Our Community, Our Epidemic: Turning Drug Awareness into Action

This session will provide an update on OASAS projects and initiatives as they relate to service providers.

Sandra Rivers BS CASAC & Lisa Neish BS CASAC (Crouse Hospital, Syracuse)

Introduction to Narrative: story telling as a Means of Handling trauma in Substance Abuse Treatment

This presentation will provide an introduction for the use of narrative therapy in substance abuse treatment facilities. Presenters will share results from research studies indicating a high prevalence of traumatized individuals in substance abuse facilities. Trauma informed care practices promote a person centered treatment approach as supported by OMH, OASAS and SAMHSA. Current research suggests that the use of narrative and storytelling is an effective strategy in the handling of trauma in substance abuse treatment. Utilizing a trauma informed care platform, treatment professionals can assist patients in re-storying their trauma. Participants will learn the benefits of the use of narrative in working with traumatized patients. Participants will participate in an experiential exercise of narrative in treatment of traumatized populations.

Susan Browne (Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare, Syracuse)

Gambling Disorder- Signs and Symptoms

Gambling addiction treatment in NYS is an unfunded service that is often overlooked within treatment settings. This session is designed to highlight this area of treatment and will offer an overview of the signs and symptoms of gambling addiction, progression of the disease and different treatment approaches, methods of gambling, treatment of gambling. The session will also include patient testimony about the devastating impact his addiction had on his life and how he has been able to build a life for himself in recovery.

Dr. Tim Feeney Ph.D. (Belvedere Health Services, Albany)

Developing Identity Focusing on Meaning: Principles and Practices for Supporting Treatment Resistant Populations

This session will focus on understanding a framework for the development of successful supports for individuals who are often resistant to treatment, who have co-existing difficulties, and who are involved with multiple service systems.

Tracy Torelli LCSW CASAC(St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center: Behavioral Health, Syracuse)

A Relational Approach to Dual Disorder Groups in Mental Health Settings

This session will review and explore a group that is currently being run at St Joseph's Hospital. It will identify and teach this married approach of behavioral activation in order to increase relational connections for patients. In the past an abstinence or "stopping goal" was used to deal with substance abuse but this looks towards increasing patient's relationships so that it makes it difficult for them to use.

Other Speakers:

J. Schuyler CASAC CTTS & C. BethgeroPh.D CTTS (St. Joseph’s Hospital, Syracuse)

Dr. R. Sullivan (Upstate Hospital & Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare, Syracuse)

S. Wilson Ph.D CTRS (SUNY Cortland, Cortland)