Epidemiological data indicates a marked development overlap between individuals with substance abuse disorders, their exposure to traumatic experiences, and the presence of PTSD and Complex PTSD.  PTSD has been found to be 3X more common amongst alcohol and drug dependent individuals than in the general population.  The assessment and treatment implications of working with patients with such co-morbid disorders will be considered.  Ways to conduct an integrated dual-focused intervention program will be demonstrated.  The important role of gender and cultural differences will be highlighted.   

                              10:15 a.m.  - 10:30 a.m.                       MORNING BREAK

 

 

A

              Core Tasks of Psychotherapy:  Implications for Treating  Individuals with
               Substance Abuse Disorders (SUDS); David Meichenbaum, Ph.D.  

An analysis of various treatment approaches with substance abusing individuals indicates that the theoretical orientation and proposed mechanisms of change are not strong determinants of treatment outcomes.  Following a consideration of various recommended intervention approaches, a proposed set of “core therapeutic tasks” will be considered.  These “core tasks” include the development and maintenance of a therapeutic alliance and accompanying use of patient feedback; psycho-educational interventions; the nurturing of motivation to change and accompanying hope; the nurturing and teaching of coping skills and critically building-in generalization guidelines; attribution retraining and relapse prevention skills.  In those instances where there is a history or current victimization experience, an additional set of “core tasks” will be needed.  In short, what “expert” therapists do to be effective in treating individuals with SUDS will be considered.   

               What Works:  Reducing Criminal Offending; Anna Salter, Ph.D. 

This workshop will compare the effectiveness of different methods of intervening with criminal offenders.  Comparisons will be made between incarceration, probation, treatment, boot camp, scared straight and other methods of managing or treating offenders.  In addition, treatment will be broken down into different types of treatment and the effectiveness of each compared.  Finally the effectiveness of specific treatment components, specifically those addressing criminogenic and non-criminogenic treatment targets, will be assessed.  

C

             Barriers To Effective Prevention & Treatment For College Students;  
             Awanda Jones, Ph. D., CADC 

In this workshop session, we will explore the multiple barriers that college students encounter in dealing with drugs and alcohol on the campus.  Focus will be on methods of providing prevention and encouraging treatment strategies which the student will be able to implement while in college and beyond.  

             Lunch (Provided)                  Noon  - 1:00 p.m.                               

1:00 p.m.  - 2:30 p.m.        KEYNOTE SPEAKER II:  Ana Salter, Ph.D                                                Topic:    Criminal Thinking 

Offenders often hold anti-social attitudes and beliefs which facilitate criminal behavior.  Despite this, many programs for offenders do not include components for addressing anti-social thinking.  This keynote will address the issue of criminal thinking, specifically the ways offenders interpret ordinary human interactions in ant-social ways.  In addition, it will address methods of changing anti-social cognitions.  

2:30 p.m.  - 2:45 p.m.         AFTERNOON BREAK 

  

D

         Remaking Relapse Prevention; Anna Salter, Ph.D.

Relapse prevention has played a key role in both addictions treatment and in sex offenders treatment for man years.  Despite this, research on its effectiveness with sex offenders, particularly, suggests that traditional relapse prevention programs do not address the dynamics of the largest subgroup of sex offenders.  This workshop will focus on the ways in which relapse prevention is being changed to accommodate those offenders who intend to offend.   

E

          Family Violence: Treatment of Batterers and  Victims of Violence:   
          David Meichenbaum, Ph.D. 

In approximately 50% - 60% of the occasions of family violence, the perpetrator abuses substances, especially alcohol.  Heavy drinking and binge drinking have been linked to coercive marital conflict that can escalate to the point of violence.  How such aggressive behavioral patterns develop and the implications for assessment and treatment will be considered.  The presentation will highlight ways to assess risk of dangerousness, the “state of the art” in treating batterers and ways to improve such interventions, and ways to help victims of family violence.  (see www.melissainstitute.org for discussion of these issues, as well.) 

F

         Homelessness and Dual Diagnosis:  Addressing Co-Occurring  
         Mental  Illness and Substance Abuse Among the Homeless
         Population; Sherry Kostman, Psy.D., CADC    

People who are dually diagnosed with severe mental illness and substance use disorders constitute a large percentage of homeless persons.  They are an extremely vulnerable subgroup with complex and poorly understood needs.  An estimated 50 percent of homeless adults with serious mental illnesses have a co-occurring substance abuse disorder.  This workshop will review recent research on the epidemiology, subject characteristics, and service needs of the dually diagnosed homeless population.  Also, the range of evolving approaches to providing social services, housing, and mental health and substance abuse treatments; the relevant system issues and legal issues; and problems with current research, as well as future research directions, will be discussed.

   Conference Keynote Speakers

Conference Schedule (Friday)

Conference Schedule (Wednesday)

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