Conference Agenda

Register for the conference

Nationally recognized experts come together to provide the latest research, clinical tools, legal/ethical considerations, and future trajectories, empowering you to stay on top of your practice amidst changing landscapes.

Explore the most current research in addiction arenas and other timely issues, such as:

  • Drug repurposing
  • Acute pain
  • Harm reduction
  • DEA perspectives
  • Fentanyl
  • Stigma
  • Co-occurring disorders
  • Buprenorphine, suboxone, meth & ketamine
  • Medical complications

Meet the speakers

AcuDetox training & certification

2024 Conference Agenda

Saturday, June 8, 2024 | Optional Pre-Conference, Day 1

8:30 am – 5:00 pm

AcuDetox Training & Certification, Part 1 | 4.5 hours

Online training must be completed prior to attending this training and certification workshop. Learn more.

Amy de la Garza, MD
Elizabeth F. Howell, MD

Following this specialized training, participants will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate competencies and apply for certification in 5-Needle Protocol, or AcuDetox; and,
  2. Apply AcuDetox as indicated as an adjunct to clients in substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery settings.

Sunday, June 9, 2024 | Optional Pre-Conference, Day 2

8:30 am – 5:00 pm

AcuDetox Training & Certification, Part 2 | 4.5 hours

Online training must be completed prior to attending this training and certification workshop. Learn more.

Amy de la Garza, MD
Elizabeth F. Howell, MD

Following this specialized training, participants will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate competencies and apply for certification in 5-Needle Protocol, or AcuDetox; and,
  2. Apply AcuDetox as indicated as an adjunct to clients in substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery settings.

Monday, June 10, 2024 | Main Conference, Day 1

8:00 – 8:30 am

Check-in and Registration

8:30 – 8:35 am

Welcome and Administration

Elizabeth F. Howell, MD

CME Course Director

8:35 – 9:35 am

Keynote Address

"Neuroscience-Informed Drug Repurposing for Addiction: From Bench to Bedside and Back"

Mehdi Farokhnia, MD, MPH

Alcohol and other substance use disorders are prevalent, disabling, and impose enormous medical, psychosocial and economic burden. While our neuroscientific understanding of addition has considerably expanded in the last decades, pharmacotherapeutic options remain limited and not all patients respond to available medications. Compared to de novo drug discovery which typically has low success rates, especially in neuropsychiatry and addiction, drug repurposing focuses on compounds with known drug safety and early efficacy signals from animal models and/or preliminary human studies. Derived from recent advances in understanding the neurobiology of alcohol use and related behaviors, this presentation will provide examples of translational drug repurposing efforts, including preclinical experiments and on-going clinical trials with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (e.g. Spironolactone) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (e.g. semaglutide) as potential novel pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder.

After hearing from this expert on the latest developments, you will be able to:

  1. Portray the current landscape of pharmacotherapies to treat patients with alcohol and other substance use disorders; and,
  2. Describe the significance of translational research and drug repurposing to facilitate medication development for addictions and give examples of ongoing neuroscience-informed drug repurposing efforts to develop novel pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder.

9:35 – 9:45 am

Break

9:45 – 11:00 am

Concurrent Sessions  |  1.25 hours each

"Updates On Addiction Medicine"

Robert J. Mendenhall, DO

[Session description will be added soon]

Upon completion of this presentation, participants will be able to:

  1. Trace some of the common addiction treatment practices and their evolution; and,
  2. Take this discussion further into the current and projected future research which is and will continue to change the fields of addiction.

"Substance Use Disorder Across the Continuum of Care: Pregnancy, Postpartum, Parenthood and Beyond"

Frank J. Powers, MD

This session will describe screening tools for substance use disorder in pregnancy including how to implement in practice. It will also describe family planning counseling for women with SUD and individualized treatment of substance use disorder in pregnancy. It will also include care of newborns born to mothers with SUD including screening for and treatment of NAS and optimal nutrition. Ongoing care in postpartum periods will also be covered including challenges of access to care.

After hearing this presentation, participants will be able to:

  1. Discuss some of the common issues presented by substance using clients in the ob/gyn settings and how those issues must be addressed in perinatal patients; and,
  2. Design and adhere to a treatment plan addressing all these complicating and potentially co-occurring issues.

"Benzodiazepines: To Deprescribe or Not to Deprescribe - That is the Question"

Spencer Hansen, MD

[Session description will be added soon]

After attending this presentation, participants will be able to:

  1. Outline the ‘brain issues’ associated with benzodiazepine use and how they present; and,
  2. Implement the protocol currently believed to be most effective in treating benzo withdrawals in outpatient settings.

"Group Therapy in SUD Treatment: A Look into Evidence-Based Practices That Promote Individual and Social Recovery in a Group Therapy Setting"

Lucy Izard, LCSW

During this session we will explore current application of benzodiazepines as a medical treatment and why we should be talking with our patients about coming off them as tolerated. We will explore how capacity to self-govern impacts these conversations while paying attention to our ethical landmarks of non maleficence and beneficence.

After attending this presentation, you will be able to:

  1. Show how benzodiazepines work in the body, review current guidelines for medical/psychiatric use, and review current literature around deprescribing ; and,
  2. Review the criteria to consider before deprescribing benzos and some protocols on how to deprescribe.

11:00 – 11:15 am

Break

11:15 am – 12:15 pm

Concurrent Sessions  |  1.0 hour each

"The Relationship Between Substance Use and Suicide: A Toxic Cocktail"

1.0 Suicide Prevention Credit

Rachael Jasperson, LCSW, PhD, MBA

Substance use significantly increases risk for suicide. This presentation will provide an overview of the relationship between substance use and suicide, and provide clinical recommendations for therapeutic interventions.

After attending this session, you will leave able to:

  1. Describe the relationship between substance use and suicide risk and identify how suicide risk factors are influenced by substance use; and
  2. Apply evidence-based interventions to reduce suicide risk.

"Working Without Frustration When Dealing with High-Utilizers"

0.25 Ethics Credit

Erica N. Baiden, MD

[Session description will be added soon]

After attending this program, participants will be able to:

  1. Discuss some of the ‘revolving door’ scenarios often followed by individuals with substance use disorders and the role of intensive outpatient management in the prevention and/or interruption of this phenomena; and,
  2. Design intervention plans to deter this ‘revolving door’ scenario and adjust the interventions as may be indicated by the course of treatment.

"Mind the Gut: Developing New Pharmacotherapies for Addiction Via Gut-Brain Targets"

Mehdi Farokhnia, MD, MPH

Growing evidence suggests that gut-brain axis plays an integral role in regulating normal behavioral functions, as well as pathophysiological processes that underlie neuropsychiatric disorders and addiction. Ghrelin, also known as the “hunger hormone,” is part of the gut-brain axis, as it is mainly produced in the stomach and has known central functions. Several lines of research have demonstrated that ghrelin not only regulates appetite, feeding behavior, and metabolism, but is involved in the neurobiology of reward seeking, stress regulation, and addictive behaviors. This session will provide an overview of the basic and clinical evidence on the role of ghrelin in addictive behaviors and how such knowledge has led to ongoing clinical trials that target the ghrelin system as a potential pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder.

At the conclusion of this session, you will be able to:

  1. Show the need to increase the armamentarium of pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder and describe the role of different elements of the gut-brain axis in alcohol seeking and consummatory behaviors; and,
  2. Summarize studies outlining the role of ghrelin in alcohol craving, use, and other related outcomes and provide examples of ongoing efforts to target the ghrelin system as a potential pharmacotherapeutic target for alcohol use disorder.

"Addiction and the Adolescent Brain: Findings from the Longitudinal ABCD Study"

Erin McGlade, PhD

The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD) is the largest longitudinal study of child and adolescent brain development in the United States. Beginning in 2017, over 11,000 youth were enrolled in the study’s 21 sites, including 1,010 youth and their families from Salt Lake County and surrounding areas. Dr. McGlade’s presentation will include an overview of child and adolescent brain development, details about the research methods used in ABCD, addiction-focused results from the first six years of data collection, and clinical implications of these findings.

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Report on the latest ABCD Study findings related to addictive behaviors and the effects of addictions on the brain; and,
  2. Translate this research into clinical settings when working with children, adolescents, and families.

12:15 – 1:15 pm

Luncheon, Roundtable Discussions, and Acudetox Stations

1:15 – 2:30 pm

Concurrent Sessions  |  1.25 hours each

"Alcohol - The Forgotten Killer Drug"

B. Todd Thatcher, DO

Alcohol is a factor in 1 out of every 8 deaths in the United States. It’s a major killer of human beings. But we’re not taking it seriously. Alcohol and diabetes kill about the same number of people every year in the United States yet only around 5% are screened for alcohol use disorder vs 46% for diabetes. Rather than addressing it as the public health crisis it is we celebrate it as a feature of our culture. This presentation will discuss the data and equip providers to start making a difference rather than making a mistake by ignoring it in clinical practice.

After attending this presentation, participants will be able to:

  1. Present the Risky Drinking App from NIAAA and assess clients with this app and other tools to identify their place on the spectrum of alcohol use; and,
  2. Design and follow a treatment plan for clients in all levels on the spectrum from screening and anticipatory guidance in primary care settings to referrals and specialized treatment.

"Acute Pain and Patients on Medication for Opioid Use Disorder – Buprenorphine in the Perioperative Period"

Kimberlee Bayless, DNP, FNP-BC
Evelyn Loose, MD
Eric Piacenza, MD

The perioperative period is a particularly vulnerable time for patients on medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) due to challenges achieving adequate pain control and a high risk of relapse postoperatively. As anesthesiologists and acute pain physicians, we present practical strategies to manage this patient population during the time of surgery.

After spending time with these speakers, participants will be able to:

  1. Report on current national buprenorphine guidelines; and,
  2. Manage acute pain in surgical patients on buprenorphine.

"Abstinence or Harm Reduction: Can They Exist in the Same Universe? "

1.0 Ethics Credit

Thom Dunford, BSW, MBA (Panel Moderator)
Darin Carver, LCSW

This panel discussion will provide you with an opportunity to receive information about a harm reduction model of SUD treatment and an abstinence based model of treatment that is being practiced in the private SUD provider treatment system within the Salt Lake Valley area. Additionally, a third presentation will explore an approach that integrates the use of both models in an eclectic model of SUD treatment that would be best suited for use within the publicly funded Local Authority treatment network of services. Each member of the panel will provide research that supports their individual preference for using the model of practice they will present.

As a result of hearing the various views from these panelists, attendees will be able to:

  1. Debate on both sides – harm reduction / moderation versus total abstinence for substance use disorder recovery; and,
  2. Identify the best options for various clients and help design a treatment and recovery plan most likely to bring long-term success.

2:30 - 2:45 pm

Break

2:45 – 3:45 pm

Concurrent Sessions  |  1.0 hour each

"Beyond Detox: Exploring Phenobarbital’s Role in Alcohol Recovery"

Elizabeth F. Howell, MD, MS, DLFAPA, DFASAM

[Session description will be added soon]

After gleaning information from this expert, participants will be able to:

  1. Outline the most current research on phenobarbital’s use in the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders; and,
  2. Design a treatment plan using this intervention for various individuals with AUD.

"Buprenorphine In Acute Pain Management"

Supported by the Opioid Response Network

Craig Uthe, MD

[Session description will be added soon]

Participants in this session will leave able to:

  1. Present the most current methods and substances used to control acute pain with a focus on buprenorphine; and,
  2. Translate this information into practice by designing and implementing treatment protocols for individuals with various types of acute pain in all settings and levels of care.

"Tribal Perspectives on Substance Use Treatment"

0.25 Ethics Credit

RD Boardman, PhD

[Session description will be added soon]

After hearing from this individual, participations will be able to:

  1. Present some native beliefs and traditions which must be factored into substance use disorder treatment plans when working with various native populations; and,
  2. Incorporate these factors into treatment plans in ways which respect native culture, beliefs, and resources to assist this population with substance use issues on various levels.

3:45 - 4:00 pm

Break

4:00 – 5:00 pm

Concurrent Sessions  |  1.0 hour each

"From Hesitation to Hope: The Art of Engaging Clients by Using 12-Step Facilitation Techniques"

Jeff Clark, MD

Clients who participate in mutual aid groups are more likely to be successful in recovery. However, effectively engaging clients in mutual aid groups can be challenging. In this session, we’ll discuss practical ways to apply twelve-step facilitation – an evidence-based therapy that can augment any treatment setting or modality.

As a result of participating in this session, you will leave able to:

  1. Describe the evidence behind the use of mutual aid groups in recovery; and,
  2. Demonstrate practical skills to improve client engagement in mutual aid groups.

"Beyond Buzzwords: Decoding The Latest Legislative Moves in Substance Use"

Luz Escamilla, MA

[Session description will be added soon]

After hearing from this senator, participants will be able to:

  1. Report on the recent legislation impacting substance use issues in Utah and compare those to national trends; and,
  2. Ensure their own practices are in compliance with current legislation and identify other legislative gaps/needs to be considered in the future.

"Integrating Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy and Mindfulness in Addiction Recovery: Clinical Perspectives from the KetaMORE Trial"

Kevin Byrne, MD

Join us for an informative session on the KetaMORE trial, which examines the combination of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and Mindfulness techniques in treating opioid addiction. This talk will focus on the methodology, findings, and potential implications of the trial, providing a detailed overview of these emerging approaches in addiction therapy. You will gain insights into how KAP works, the role of mindfulness in recovery, and what the initial results of the trial suggest.

After hearing from this expert clinician and researcher, participants will be able to:

  1. Trace the historical use of ketamine including its compounding, development, and use; and,
  2. Compare and contrast the effective and more ineffective and/or questionable practices with ketamine and its derivatives.

"Management of Mental Illness with Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorder"

Supported by the Opioid Response Network

Missy Henke, MD

Managing co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders as separate entities can be frustrating and ineffective for both the patients and the providers. This presentation will describe the importance of understanding how mental illness and substance use disorders co-exist and will also empower providers to address these issues in a thoughtful manner that is also evidence-based. Specific focus will be on utilizing Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in this population and the potential risks of utilizing multiple medications.

On a more specific level, attendees will leave this session able to:

  1. Show how symptoms of a substance use disorder can mimic a primary mental illness; and,
  2. Describe different approaches to managing mental illness in a population with substance use disorders.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 | Main Conference, Day 2

8:00 – 8:30 am

Check-in and Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 8:35 am

Welcome Back

Representative from the Utah Division of Professional Licensing OR Utah Office of Substance Use and Mental Health

Conference Partner

8:35 – 9:35 am

Keynote Address

"The New ASAM Criteria – Implementation and Benefits"

R. Corey Waller, MD, MS, DFASAM

[Session description will be added soon]

After attending this key session, attendees will be able to:

  1. Present the newest ASAM criteria along with the discussions and rationale for making these changes; and,
  2. Outline the changes that will need to be made in various practice settings to be in compliance with these new criteria.

9:35 – 9:45 am

Break

9:45 – 11:00 am

Concurrent Sessions  |  1.25 hours each

"A Deeper Dive into the New ASAM World"

R. Corey Waller, MD, MS, DFASAM

[Session description will be added soon]

This expert will continue to provide information which will allow participants to:

  1. Design a plan for changing their current practice to be in compliance with the new ASAM criteria; and,
  2. Educate others about these changes, including staff, so all individuals involved in the practice may be more aware of these changes and their roles in ensuring compliance.

"Suboxone in the Age of Fentanyl – Considerations in Acute Setting"

B. Todd Thatcher, DO, CMRO (Panel Moderator)
Jeffery Clark, MD
Robert J. Mendenhall, DO
Mason Turner, MD

With fentanyl use increasing in opoid use disorder and stimulant use disorder populations, treatment with Suboxone in inpatient settings is becoming more complex. This panel will disucss the latest evidence-based recomendations and the practical experience best practices of the panel and audience members. The objective is for everyone in the room to learn from each other and take new knowledge and ideas back to their patients.

Upon completion of this panel discussion, participants will be able to:

  1. Present considerations of suboxone and related agents in acute settings; and,
  2. Provide practical interventions for high dose buprenorphine, fentanyl inductions, meth delivery and transitions along with other pharma transitions, severe precipitated withdrawal management and other areas related to suboxone in today’s world.

"Fentanyl Update and Current Trends"

Gil Van Attenhoven

This presentation will discuss the current trends regarding fentanyl and fentanyl analogs. We will also discuss the current trends regarding counterfeit/fake pills, milling operations, the boosters the Mexican National Drug Trafficking Organizations are adding to their drugs, and how that impacts your communities and your patients. We will also discuss Naloxone/Narcan and other Naloxone options, as well as the recognition of opioid users.

After gaining information from this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Discuss fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, the current trends regarding this drug including counterfeit / fake pills, milling operations, naloxone, and other naloxone options; and,
  2. Recognize opioid users and explore their many reasons for overdose on these pharmacologic agents.

"The Pitfalls and Perils of Professional Impairment "

0.5 Ethics Credit

Michael J. Baron, MD, MPH, DFASAM

This presentation will discuss the most common areas for illness and potential impairment that healthcare professionals can have. We will discuss boundary violations, professional sexual misconduct, burnout, and addiction. The professional health program model will be presented as the gold standard for protecting the public while saving careers.

Once individuals have attended this session, they will be able to:

  1. Outline various programs and their components for identifying and working with impaired professionals.
  2.  

11:00 – 11:15 am

Break and AcuDetox Stations

11:15 am – 12:30 pm

Concurrent Sessions  |  1.25 hours each

"Addressing Substance Use Disorders Within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Populations"

Jess Farrar, PhD
Jenny Jones-Medina, PhD
Jordan Kwamanakweenda, PsyD

Substance use and SUDs are often important areas for assessment and intervention when working with individuals who have experienced brain injury, spinal cord injury, and/or amputation/complex medical conditions. We will be discussing how to conceptualize substance use within these populations, and how to support these individuals in both inpatient and outpatient settings in service of improving functioning across multiple domains.

More specifically, this session will allow participants to:

  1. Explore special considerations when addressing SUDs in individuals with brain injury, spinal cord injury, and amputation/complex medical conditions; and,
  2. Identify appropriate, evidence-based interventions to implement and adapt with these populations.

"DIY Psychotherapy: The Nuts and Bolts First"

Spencer Hansen, MD

During this presentation we will explore what therapy is and what it is not. We will discuss basics of therapy and how you can feel more comfortable referring people to therapy - or even practicing "bedside therapy" with your patients/clients/people in any clinical setting.

As a result of participating in this program, you will be able to:

  1. Define psychotherapy and trace its modern-day evolution then outline how and why it works; and,
  2. Present a basic algorithm to set select a therapy.

"Buprenorphine in the Age of Fentanyl - Considerations in Non-Acute Settings"

B. Todd Thatcher, DO (Coordinator)
Robert J. Mendenhall, DO
Jeremy E. Thueson, MD

With fentanyl use increasing in opioid use disorder and stimulant use disorder populations, treatment with suboxone in outpatient settings is becoming more complex. This panel will discuss the latest evidence-based recommendations and the practical experience best practices of the panel and audience members. The objective is for everyone in the room to learn from each other and take new knowledge and ideas back to their patients.

Upon completion of this presentation, participants will be able to:

  1. Present considerations of suboxone and related agents in non-acute settings such as primary care, jails, and outpatient clinics; and,
  2. Provide practical interventions for high dose buprenorphine, fentanyl inductions, meth delivery and transitions along with other pharma transitions, severe precipitated withdrawal management and other areas related to suboxone in today’s world.

"Methamphetamine Update and Current Trends"

Gil Van Attenhoven

This presentation will discuss the current trends regarding methamphetamine and why it is so popular with substance users. We will also discuss the trend in methamphetamine production and how that affects the users. Lastly, we will examine the current trends being utilized by the Mexican National Drug Trafficking Organizations and how that impacts your communities and your patients.

After gaining information from this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Present the current trends around methamphetamine and their popularity as well as the current trends in meth production and the impact on users; and,
  2. List and describe the current trends used by Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations and how that impacts drug trafficking and use among your patients.

12:30 – 1:30 pm

Lunch and AcuDetox Stations

1:30 – 2:45 pm

Concurrent Sessions  |  1.25 hours each

"Sober Talk About Ketamine"

0.75 Ethics Credit

Wendy A. Johnson, PMHNP-BC
Larry Marx, MPA
Mason S. Turner, MD

Join these experts representing different perspectives about what is happening in the field with ketamine.

After attending the session, participants will be able to:

  1. Provide various perspectives on the use of ketamine; and,
  2. Debate the appropriate use of ketamine – from indications to methods of use.

"Medical Complications of Substance Use"

Jonathan Watson, MD

The adverse health effects from substance use stem not just from the substances used, but also from the routes of administration and the social context of substance use.

After hearing this expert, participants will be able to:

  1. Outline and describe some common co-occurring medical disorders which must be recognized and assessed in clients seeking addiction treatment; and,
  2. Provide treatment which addresses both addiction and medical disorders in ways currently believed to be most effective.

"Medical Marijuana – Truth or Myth?"

0.25 Ethics Credit

Supported by Mountain Plains ATTC

Mario Lintz, MD

This session will focus on either the latest addiction-pertinent research or the COMPAS Grant and BRIDGE Programs. Objectives will be developed with the expert(s) selected.

After hearing this expert, participants will be able to:

  1.  
  2.  

"Elephant in the Room: Stigma and Its Impact in Clinical Care"

Michael Baron, MD, MPH, DFASAM

Stigma can be lethal when it prevents a HealthCare Practitioner from receiving help for mental illness. This lecture will explore how stigma is being addressed by the house of medicine and the changes that are underway in health question licensure reform.

As a result of attending this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Outline some of the common stigmas associated with substance use disorders and how those stigmas impact clients – from accessing care to treatment adherence and recovery; and,
  2. Translate these issues into practice when working with individuals dealing with substance use disorders.

2:45 - 3:00 pm

Break

3:00 – 4:15 pm

Concurrent Sessions  |  1.25 hours each

"The Impact of Loneliness on Substance Use: The Power of Connectedness"

Steve Sugden, MD, MPH

The challenges of isolation, loneliness, and aloneness during periods of active use, early recovery, and throughout the recovery process are often underappreciated. In this presentation, we will review the scientific literature regarding loneliness and the extra challenges during the phases of recovery. We will also review the scientific literature regarding connectedness and provide participants with tools and strategies to improve connectedness.

Once participants have attended this session, they will be able to:

  1. Present the most current research around the effects of social isolation on individuals with substance use disorders – from prevention and treatment to recovery and wellness; and,
  2. Address these issues – loss of support systems, loneliness and boredom triggers, and reduced access to resources in the design of treatment programs at all levels of care.

"Navigating the Transition: Strategies for Incorporating Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine into Practice"

Anthony May, PharmD, MBA

This presentation will review FDA approved long-acting injectable buprenorphine products with an emphasis on operational and clinical considerations. Dosing strategies, patient counseling pearls, administration techniques, REMS compliance, and common adverse effects will be discussed. After attending this presentation, attendees should be comfortable developing a treatment plan that incorporates long-acting injectable buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorders.

As a result of attending this session, attendees will be able to:

  1. Identify key operational considerations when introducing long-acting injectable buprenorphine products into a practice; and,
  2. Identify indications, contraindications, and adverse effects of long-acting injectable buprenorphine and discuss key clinical considerations when selecting a long-acting injectable buprenorphine product.

"Mind Pivot: Integrating Nutritional Interventions for Healing Body and Mind in Recovery"

Amy de la Garza, MD, FASAM, IFMCP
Catherine Van Tassell, LCSW, MSPAS, PA-C, CPT

Lifestyle related chronic diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in our country. People with Substance Use Disorders are at an increased risk for complications and death from lifestyle related chronic diseases, yet lifestyle related counseling and interventions are seemingly absent from recovery programming. Nutrition plays a critical role in healing the body, mind and spirit by supporting a healthy gut-brain axis, reducing inflammation, balancing blood sugar and insulin and supporting healthy cortisol levels. This is critical for individuals in recovery to support the brain healing and neuroplasticity that is needed to learn new ways of experiencing and navigating life without substances. Additionally, learning how to nourish oneself and experiencing the benefits of healthy nutritional choices creates empowerment and improves measures related to quality of life, both critically important for healing. During this presentation we will provide an overview of the existing literature to support healing the body and brain with nutrition in recovery, the real and perceived barriers to initiating nutrition programming in treatment, and provide a conceptual framework for implementation. We will provide case examples of the benefits of nutritional interventions in recovery and discuss our experience in the recent implementation of a nutrition and lifestyle program at a Utah based treatment center. Our hope is that participants will come away with an appreciation of the importance of healthy, nourishing foods in the recovery process, and an understanding of the importance of including these discussions and interventions across the treatment continuum.

After attending this session, you will be able to:

  1. Detail the role that nutrition plays in supporting empowerment, self-efficacy and quality of life for individuals in early treatment and recovery form SUD; and,
  2. Explore the barriers to implementing nutrition education and recovery focused nutrition in residential programs and explore the components of a nutrition education and dietary program for recovery programming.

"Improving Compliance Through Motivational Interviewing"

Denise Lash, PhD

Participants will learn how to use the spirit of Motivational Interviewing and related tactics to improve their ability to discern their patients' goals. In turn, this will help participants guide their patients towards those goals in a way that builds rapport and reduces provider frustration.

After this interactive session, participants will leave able to:

  1. Provide quick updates as to the latest findings and techniques around motivational interviewing (MI) and identify clients for whom this method may be most effective; and,
  2. Demonstrate various MI techniques for even the most challenging clients.

Participation by speakers are not real or implied endorsements by event founders, organizers, committee members, faculty, accreditors, or other partners.

Questions about the conference?

Call ESI Management Group at 801-501-9446 or

Email ESI

CONFERENCE HOST

Department of Psychiatry and Huntsman Mental Health Institute

Visit HMHI's website

CONFERENCE PARTNER

Utah Office of Substance Use and Mental Health (SUMH) 

Visit SUMH's website

CONFERENCE PARTNER

Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL)

Visit DOPL's website

CME PROVIDER

ESI Management Group

Visit ESI's website