Session Recording: Description: For those who grew up associating drugs with natural sources like marijuana plants, poppy fields, and cocoa leaves, it can be tough to keep up with the shift to synthetic drugs made of chemicals some people may not know they’re ingesting. This workshop will help participants understand the current drug landscape, including stimulants (e.g. methamphetamine and cocaine), powerful opioids like fentanyl and nitazines, and xylazine, an animal tranquilizer increasingly showing up in the drug supply in some regions. It will also cover drug use trends, such as increasing polysubstance use, higher potency drugs, and the risks of mixing illicit drugs, alcohol, and medications. Participants will learn about factors that have contributed to rising overdose rates—including nonfatal overdoses—strategies to minimize risks, and how to recognize and respond to an overdose, as well as where to obtain naloxone. Goals: Increase participants’ awareness of current drug use patterns, the increasing potency of both plant-based and synthetic drugs, and how to prevent, recognize, and respond to an overdose. Workshop Outline: Discuss drug use trends (increasing polysubstance use, shift to synthetics vs. plant-based drugs, mixing prescription medications & illicit drugs, increasing stimulant use). Present graphics depicting increasing strength and potency of illicit drugs (cannabis, methamphetamine, etc.) and effects of different drugs. Overview of fentanyl and xylazine as well as other drugs like nitazines + kratom. Overdose statistics and definitions (opioid vs stimulant ODs). Risk factors for an overdose (including nonfatal overdoses). Strategies to reduce overdose risks. Signs of an overdose. Naloxone – brief overview and where to get it, plus sources for additional training. Good Samaritan laws protecting people who respond to an overdose. Trainer Bio Susan Stellin, MPH is a writer, educator, and public health consultant focusing on health-centered responses to substance use and addiction. Since earning a master's in public health at Columbia University, she has worked on projects about ways to reduce overdose deaths, reform punitive drug policies, and expand access to harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support. Recent clients include NYU Langone’s Health x Housing Lab, the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Technology Transfer Center, the Opioid Response Network, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Overdose Prevention Program at Vital Strategies, and the Vera Institute of Justice. She regularly leads training workshops for service providers working with people experiencing substance use, mental health, and housing challenges, and has also taught undergraduate courses about media ethics, collaborative storytelling, and the history of journalism.

Session Recording: Description: With increasing overdose rates, a more lethal drug supply, and more prescription medications in many homes, it’s important to educate a wider audience about harm reduction and what it means: essentially, reducing the negative consequences of potentially risky behaviors. This workshop will present different definitions of harm reduction, highlight how we all practice harm reduction in our lives, and explain how harm reduction strategies are implemented in different settings, including syringe service programs and psychotherapy. It will also address community concerns and hesitations about harm reduction, ways to reduce the harms of stigma surrounding drug use, and opportunities to build bridges between harm reduction and treatment for people with substance use disorders Goals: Increase participants’ understanding of harm reduction principles and strategies, address myths and misperceptions about harm reduction, and explore how harm reduction can be part of the continuum of care. Workshop Outline: Different ways of defining harm reduction (National Harm Reduction Coalition, SAMHSA, NIDA). Harm reduction principles. How we all practice harm reduction (including bike helmets, sunscreen, designated drivers). Harm reduction services provided by syringe service programs (SSPs), overdose prevention centers (OPCs) and mobile units in some communities. Who harm reduction services may not be reaching (different population groups). Harm reduction psychotherapy (key practitioners and principles, including embracing goals like reduced substance use). Hesitations about harm reduction (traditional objections, like it “enables” drug use, vs. newer concerns, e.g. it’s “not enough” for people with complex needs). Building bridges between harm reduction and treatment for people with substance use disorders. Reducing harm by addressing stigma (types of stigma, avoiding stigmatizing terms). Trainer Bio: Susan Stellin, MPH is a writer, educator, and public health consultant focusing on health-centered responses to substance use and addiction. Since earning a master's in public health at Columbia University, she has worked on projects about ways to reduce overdose deaths, reform punitive drug policies, and expand access to harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support. Recent clients include NYU Langone’s Health x Housing Lab, the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Technology Transfer Center, the Opioid Response Network, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Overdose Prevention Program at Vital Strategies, and the Vera Institute of Justice. She regularly leads training workshops for service providers working with people experiencing substance use, mental health, and housing challenges, and has also taught undergraduate courses about media ethics, collaborative storytelling, and the history of journalism.

Session Recording: Description: Anyone who has tried to help a loved one obtain treatment for a substance use disorder knows how challenging it can be to find quality, affordable care that’s accessible when someone is ready for help. Even for professionals working in healthcare and related fields, evaluating the options available and navigating payment and other hurdles can be overwhelming. This workshop will help educate participants about treatment options for opioid, stimulant and other substance use disorders and how to overcome barriers to care. We’ll discuss factors to consider for treatment referrals, resources to connect people with peer support, and how services are evolving to support families and offer person-centered, trauma-informed care. We’ll also discuss the neurobiology of addiction, how brain changes can impact decision-making, and strategies to improve treatment engagement. Goals: Increase understanding of different treatments for substance use disorders (including medications for opioid use disorder), address concerns about treatment effectiveness and practices, and provide tools to help improve connections to care. Workshop Outline: Review criteria for a substance use disorder and how it is defined. Present statistics about treatment for substance use and mental health disorders, using sources such as the 2022 NSDUH and other surveys. Describe the treatment gap and how it can be addressed by removing barriers to care. Discuss goals of care for people with substance use and mental health challenges. Explain how different medications for opioid use disorder work (methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone). Discuss options for treating stimulant use disorders, including contingency management. Discuss the neurobiology of addiction (e.g. how brain changes impact decision-making). Discuss factors to consider for treatment referrals and resources to connect people with treatment and peer support as well as services for families. Address misperceptions about treatment and how services are evolving to embrace person-centered, trauma-informed care. Trainer Bio: Susan Stellin, MPH is a writer, educator, and public health consultant focusing on health-centered responses to substance use and addiction. Since earning a master's in public health at Columbia University, she has worked on projects about ways to reduce overdose deaths, reform punitive drug policies, and expand access to harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support. Recent clients include NYU Langone’s Health x Housing Lab, the Northeast & Caribbean Addiction Technology Transfer Center, the Opioid Response Network, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Overdose Prevention Program at Vital Strategies, and the Vera Institute of Justice. She regularly leads training workshops for service providers working with people experiencing substance use, mental health, and housing challenges, and has also taught undergraduate courses about media ethics, collaborative storytelling, and the history of journalism.