Friday, August 29, 2008
8:30-10 a.m.
Building Better Partnerships between Schools, Communities and Families
Vincent Peter Hayden, Turning Point Inc.
Despite significant achievements in drug abuse prevention over the past two decades, in particular the development of effective research-based approaches to drug abuse prevention, drug use has continued to be a leading, preventable health risk. This presentation will address the failure by general adult services to provide treatments that reduce the aggressive behavior and other associated characteristics of the effects of drug abuse. The presentation will also identify the significant unmet needs of ex-offenders, victims and their families. This session focuses on the continuing increase for the need of collaborations between schools, communities and families.
Drug Trends in the Community, State and U.S.
Dr. Jane Maxwell, UT Addiction Research Institute
This presentation will describe the current trends in Texas. Data to be used includes trends drawn from surveys, poison control center abuse and misuse calls, DAWN emergency room data, treatment admission data, drug overdose data, forensic toxicology results, price and purity data, and information on patterns of use gathered through interviews with outreach workers and treatment program staff. Sample topics include: cocaine being the primary illicit drug for which Texans enter treatment; the emergence of a population of heroin-using youths and young adults; the snorting of cheese heroin; the increasing problem with Hydrocodone over Oxycodone or methadone; Codeine cough syrup abuse; methadone pain pill abuse; Marijuana treatment; the growing problem of Methamphetamine across the state; smoking Ice being the major route of administration for persons entering treatment; the spread of Ecstasy from the club scene to the street; and, much more.
Mental Health In-Reach Services in a British Prison: Providing Creative Community Engagement in and out of Prison
David Parry, Her Majesty’s Prison, Liverpool, England
HMP Altcourse is a category B local prison which also caters to unconvicted young offenders, remand prisoners and sentenced prisoners. This session will explain how important it is to provide a holistic approach to those with mental health needs. This has helped to reduce the negative stereotyping and inadequacies of service delivery to those who are mentally ill inside the prison.
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
SKILLS BUILDING WORKSHOP
Motivating the Motivators
Jeff Georgi, Duke Addictions Program
Working with the substance abusing patient, whether the setting is criminal justice, social services, or general medical practice, is often seen as time consuming, with relatively poor outcomes despite the effort. This workshop will utilize motivational interviewing techniques and focus on the change agent, helping them to feel empowered to deal more effectively with substance abuse issues. There will be a brief review of the bio/psycho/socio/spiritual model of addictive disease providing the helping professional with a clear theoretical framework which will further help them apply motivational enhancements to the people they serve. Specific motivational interviewing techniques as well as the theory behind these effective interventions will be discussed. Participants will have the opportunity to not only expand their working knowledge of addictive disease but also grow in their own clinical confidence as they deal with the substance using client population.
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
I Am Not the Enemy
Michael Fowlin, The World Is My Stage Productions
A one-person show that deals with the issues of race, discrimination, violence prevention, personal identity, suicide, gender equity, homophobia, and the emotional pain felt by special education children. In a gripping, fast paced, 75-minute performance, Michael Fowlin slips in and out of nine characters, both male and female, who "share their stories." The characters share their stories in an often humorous, but at times, heartbreaking manner. The show is bookended with the poem "I’m Still Here" by Langston Hughes.