GREAT LAKES: For the past three years Great Lakes has served as the Illinois SSA’s SBIRT Project, Training and Technical Assistance partner. As part of that initiative’s widespread sustainability and replication effort, Great Lakes recently worked with the two lead SBIRT physicians in the development and delivery of training on the SBIRT model to other hospitals in the state. Designed to introduce screening and interventions for substance using patients presenting in hospital settings, trainers presented the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model. Additional focus areas included Addiction 101 and medication treatment for substance use disorders. Many of the patients in a hospital have conditions that are caused or exacerbated by substance use or abuse. This program provides helpful tools for providers to discuss with patients and possibly intervene in harmful behaviors. The program was repeated via Audio Conference in collaboration with the Illinois Hospital Association as part of its rural initiative with a special focus on educating nurses. A one-day SBIRT Audio conference was coordinated and delivered September 8, 2008 for 6 sites across the state of Illinois.
New SBIRT Award! Great Lakes worked with Access Community Health Network (ACCESS) on their proposal to SAMHSA for the incorporation of SBIRT into the medical residency programs that use ACCESS health centers for their community clinic rotations. As the largest FQHC network in the country, ACCESS is in a unique position to provide medical residents with multiple opportunities to develop their skills and practice in community health settings. ACCESS health centers are situated in some of the most medically underserved areas of Chicago. Great Lakes will work with ACCESS and the Council of Residency Directors to develop a comprehensive and culturally competent curriculum that can be taught to medical residents, and we will use our regional resources to create opportunities for publishing and dissemination of this curriculum not only in Chicago but throughout the region and ATTC network.

NATIONAL OFFICE: In celebration of National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month, the ATTC National Office is excited to announce its essay contest – “In My Own Words…” The essay contest is open to anyone currently in the addictions treatment and recovery field, or closely related discipline. Prizes will be awarded for First ($500); Second ($250); and Third ($100) place submissions. Please contact Deann Jepson for more information. Click here for flyer!

NORTHEAST: The Northeast ATTC is conducting a survey of its newsletter Resource Links. We would like to hear your feedback on Resource Links and what we can do to improve it. read full discription

NORTHWEST FRONTIER: Northwest Frontier ATTC is offering The Training Point from Sept. 22, 2008 through November 7, 2008 (on-line), and Oct. 14-16, 2008 (on-site) in Vancouver, WA. Trainers are Denna Vandersloot and Tom Durham. Registration deadline is Sept. 12 (exceptions possible). To register and/or for more information, contact Lynn McIntosh at mctosh@u.washington.edu.

Nothing additional to report

NORTHEAST: The Northeast ATTC along with the GLATTC is pleased to announce the publication of William White’s monograph, Recovery Management and Recovery-oriented Systems of Care: Scientific Rationale and Promising Practices. This monograph fifth in the series of monographs on Recovery can be downloaded from www.ireta.org

NORTHWEST FRONTIER: Thanks to the Caribbean Basin and Hispanic ATTC the monthly Addiction Messenger is now available in a Spanish language edition. Vol. 11 Issues 3 and 4 are now available. To subscribe contact Mary Anne Bryan at Northwest Frontier ATTC: bryanm@ohsu.edu

CARIBBEAN BASIN: On September 16, 2008 the workshop titled: Ethics in Substance Abuse Counseling will be conducted at Ponce, PR with the collaboration of the SSA and presented by Gertrudis Maldonado, PsyD. For more information, contact Anamar Pellot (787) 785-4211 or anamar.pellot@uccaribe.edu.

CARIBBEAN BASIN: Substance Abuse Counseling: Relapse Prevention workshop will be delivered on September 18, 2008 by Maria del Mar Garcia, MSW, MHS, at “Mas Salud” facilities in San Juan, PR. For more information, contact Anamar Pellot (787) 785-4211 or anamar.pellot@uccaribe.edu.

CENTRAL EAST: Central East will hosts its annual Keeping It Real, Street Level Intervention Strategies for Addiction, HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis conference, September 22- 24, 2008 in Princeton N.J. Please visit Central East ATTC for further information.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: On Monday, September 22, in Los Angeles, CA, the PSATTC will partner with the Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (LA CADA), the County of Los Angeles Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, and the State of California Department of Alcohol & Drug Programs for a training entitled Effective Clinical Supervision. read full discription

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: On Monday, September 22-23, 2007, The Pacific Southwest ATTC, in partnership with the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs and UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, will host the 38th Semi-Annual Substance Abuse Research Consortium Meeting. read full discription

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: On Friday, September 26, 2008 the Pacific Southwest ATTC will partner with Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science for their 4th Annual Drug Abuse Research Symposium entitled Drug Addiction is a Brain Disease. The PSATTC will provide onsite logistical support for this one day conference. For further information, please contact Bethany Stern at bplain@ucla.edu.

CARIBBEAN BASIN: Program staff from the Caribbean Basin and Hispanic ATTC will be presenting at the 14th Annual Behavioral Health Institute (LBHI) Conference, Addressing Latino Behavioral Health Requirements in Workforce, Prevention and Early Intervention, on September 15-18, 2008. read full discription

CARIBBEAN BASIN: Dr. Ibis Carrión, Caribbean Basin & Hispanic ATTC staff member will be participating as panelist of the Forum Together for the Recuperation on September 17, 2008. The title of Dr. Carrión’s presentation is: Addiction as a Chronic Disease. The event will be held at the Puerto Rico Senate. For more information about this forum contact candujar@uccaribe,edu.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: On Wednesday, September 10, 2008, Dr. Sherry Larkins of the Pacific Southwest ATTC will present Trauma and Co- Occurring Disorders: An Overview. This training will take place at the CLARE foundation in Santa Monica, CA to help their staff learn best practices in working with clients with trauma and co-occurring disorders. For more information, please contact Dr. Larkins @ larkins@ucla.edu.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: The Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center (PSATTC) will present a discussion of the Casa Santa Clara Program at Opening Doors: Strengthening Recovery Housing in Arizona, a two-day symposium hosted by National Association of Halfway House Alcoholism Programs Sept. 15-16 at the Hilton East Phoenix in Mesa, Arizona. read full discription

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: On Wednesday, September 24, 2008, Dr. Sherry Larkins and Beth Tunis of the Pacific Southwest ATTC will present Trauma and Co- Occurring Disorders: Seeking Safety. This training will take place at the CLARE foundation in Santa Monica, CA to help their staff learn best practices in working with clients with trauma and co-occurring disorders. For more information, please contact Dr. Larkins at larkins@ucla.edu.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: On Wednesday, September 24, 2008 the Pacific Southwest ATTC will provide logistical support for a workshop on Motivational Interviewing for Psychology Interns employed by the LA County Department of Mental Health. This day long training will be given by Olga Tuller of Prototypes in Culver City, CA. For more information please contact Bethany Stern at bplain@ucla.edu.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: On Thursday, September 25, in Los Angeles, CA, the PSATTC will partner with the California Opioid Maintenance Providers (COMP) association for their Fourth Annual Training and Educational Symposium. read full discription

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: On Thursday, September 25, Dr. Sherry Larkins of the PSATTC will present at the County Alcohol and Drug Program Administrators Association of California (CAADPAC) quarterly meeting.read full discription

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: On Monday, September 29, 2008, Beth Rutkowski and Sherry Larkins will present Improving Client Engagement and Retention in Treatment for Napa and Marin County Department of Alcohol and Drug Services staff and contracted providers. read full discription

CARIBBEAN BASIN: Two Technical Assistance booster sessions in Motivational Interviewing will take place for Clinical Supervisors simultaneously in different locations on September 11, 2008 in San Juan, PR. These technical assistances’ will be conducted by Omar Perez PhD and Angelita Colon, PsyD. For more information, contact Jose Soto at (787) 798-3001 ext 2120 or joseg.soto@uccaribe.edu.

CARIBBEAN BASIN: Motivational Interviewing Strategies workshop will be delivered to service providers under the Department of Correction by Angelita Colón, PsyD on September 18, 2008. The event will be conducted in the Bayamon Correctional Facility, Bayamon, PR. For more information contact Jose Soto at (787) 798-3001 ext 2120 or joseg.soto@uccaribe.edu.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST: The Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center (PSATTC) will present two training events in Promoting Awareness of Motivational Incentives (PAMI) in Phoenix and Tucson in September for behavioral health professionals. read full discription