Pre-Conference Sessions on Cannabis AND the Criminal Justice System on October 22! Are you looking for more information on cannabis use? Do you want to learn about the criminal justice system and recovery? Attend one of two immersive pre-conference sessions on Friday, October 22, 2021 from 11:00am - 6:00pm ET (10CT/9MT/8PT). Earn 6 CEs per session! The six-hour pre-conference session, Clearing the Smoke: Cannabis Update for Addictions Professionals, will be presented by Aaron Norton, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, SAP, and will equip you with an objective, comprehensive, and updated overview of the latest information on recreational, problematic, disordered, and medicinal use of cannabis. The three-part pre-conference session, The Criminal Justice System and Recovery, will include Decriminalizing Addiction: Decreasing Recidivism Through Holistic Treatment presented by Anthony Andrews, PhD, LCMHC, LCAS, CRC; Research Driven Strategies for Justice Involved Individuals with Substance Use Needs with Myrinda "Mindy" Schweitzer Smith, PhD; and The Untold Story of Criminalization of Substances and the Impact to Today's User presented by Thea Wessel, LPC, LAC, MAC, NCAAC. |
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| Aaron Norton, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, SAP Cannabis is now at least partially-legalized in all but eight of the 50 states, though it remains illegal under federal law. Cannabis use is a politicized issue; with a growing “Big Cannabis” industry on one hand and a treatment industry in which cannabis use disorders are the second most common diagnosis on the other. How are busy substance use disorder professionals who work “in the trenches” of the American healthcare system supposed to sort through the increasingly massive assortment of information on cannabis to develop a balanced perspective? This six-hour workshop presented by Aaron Norton, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, SAP, was designed to equip addiction professionals with an objective, comprehensive, and updated overview of the latest information on recreational, problematic, disordered, and medicinal use of cannabis. |
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| Aaron Norton, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, SAP, is a licensed mental health counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, and master addictions counselor serving as Executive Director of the National Board of Forensic Evaluators, Adjunct Instructor at the University of South Florida, and Southern Regional Director for the American Mental Health Counselors Association. He has nearly 20 years of clinical and forensic experience at Integrity Counseling, Inc. |
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| While the exact rates of inmates with substance use disorders (SUD) are difficult to measure, some research shows that an estimated 65% percent of the United States prison population has an active SUD. Another 20% percent did not meet the official criteria for an SUD but were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of their crime (NIDA, 2020). Regardless of statistics, work in the field of SUD treatment and recovery often involves interaction with the criminal justice system and those who have a criminal record. Join us for a six-hour session focused on the criminal justice system and recovery. |
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| Anthony Andrews, PhD, LCMHC, LCAS, CRC Substance use disorders are a known issue in the United States of America. However, many of our prisons are filled with individuals who require treatment, not punishment. Individuals leaving prison are finding their way back behind bars because their overall mental health is not considered the root of the issue. Practitioners must treat individuals from a holistic lens if we want to tackle this national crisis. This session will explore treatment methods that aim to reduce recidivism and identify culturally competent ones. |
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| Anthony Andrews, PhD, LCMHC, LCAS, CRC, has ten years of experience as a clinical rehabilitation counselor and co-owned and operated Andrews Counseling and Consulting, PLLC, in North Carolina. Andrews currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Counseling at the University of the District of Columbia. Andrews has conducted summits across the country that highlight the importance of mental wellness amongst marginalized groups. |
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| Myrinda “Mindy” Schweitzer Smith, PhD Translating research into practice is no small feat! This session will review the research on justice involved individuals with substance use needs. Focus will be placed on how to identify targets for change and effective intervention strategies. Specific steps to translate the principles of risk, need, and responsivity into practice will be shared with different real - world examples from the field. Participants will also have a chance to share how they are currently translating these principles into practice and ask questions. |
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| Myrinda Schweitzer Smith, PhD, received her Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati and is a Senior Research Associate and Deputy Director at the Corrections Institute in the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Cincinnati. Schweitzer's research interests include the assessment of correctional programs, the science of implementation and knowledge transfer, and more generally correctional treatment and rehabilitation. |
| Thea Wessel, LPC, LAC, MAC, NCAAC Socialization has a prominent role in beliefs regarding the good, bad, ugly, and dangerousness of substances, but the history of how we got here is often long forgotten. This presentation will focus on the history of criminalization and the lasting impact of punishing substance use disorders versus treating them. When the effect of history is recognized, decriminalization becomes a necessary tool to better support individuals with SUD, families of those who struggle, and their communities. |
| Thea Wessel, LPC, LAC, MAC, NCAAC, attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for undergraduate studies and obtained a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from the University of Denver in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology. For the last 11 years, Wessel has provided mental health and substance use treatment services for individuals in multiple correctional systems. |
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