FIRST CAPITAL REGION AAPNY LUNCHEON GREAT SUCCESS!!

What a fantastic turnout for the our first Capital Region Addiction Professional Luncheon on October 20th! Over 50 addiction professionals shared food, fun and fellowship.

This luncheon marked the beginning of the second year of professional gatherings sponsored by the Capital Region chapter of the Association for Addiction Professionals of New York (AAPNY). AAPNY is the state affiliate of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. The purpose of these gatherings is "To strengthen and advance the addictions profession in the Capital Region" by providing an opportuniity to "support each others work; learn about and discuss issues facing the profession; and get involved in AAPNY."

AAPNY president, Frank Naccarato gave an inspiring presentation outlining his organizational goals for the year. Frank also spoke of strengthening AAPNY's relationship with ASAP, OASAS and IPDA.

Mary Delory, clinical director of Hudson Mohawk Recovery Center, described services provided by that organization and presented certificates of recognition to seven Hudson Mohawk clinicians, all of whom have been working for the agency for eight years or more.

Capital Region AAPNY president, Deb Hendron, spoke movingly of her personal connection with addiction professionals in the New Orleans area and AAPNY and NAADAC's help in providing assistance and support for these people.

Regional representative, Joel Bergman, launched Capital Region AAPNY's 2006 membership drive.

Capital Region AAPNY treasurer, Mona Stewart, gave a financial update.

Bob Killar, from OASAS, announced that he has been appointed OASAS's liaison with AAPNY. He also spoke of OASAS working with AAPNY on counselor wellness issues.

Michelle Cleary, new executive director of IPDA, was introduced to the gathering.

ASAP was ably represented by Nancy Jones.

Thanks again to ACCA and Julia Fesko for hosting this event.

Don't miss the next luncheon which will be from 12:00 to 1:30 PM on Thursday, December 15 at ACCA!

NOTE TO LUNCHEON ATTENDEES FROM DEB HENDRON

Greetings,

It was wonderful to see all of you at the AAPNY luncheon at ACCA. We are excited to begin this year working with such a strong leadership group. Thanks for all of your responses. This year we will be celebrating our 30 year celebration. Our annual conference will be held in Albany. We are looking forward to working with all of you to bring a dynamic conference to this area. If you have ideas for luncheon discussions, education or want to help with planning our conference, please feel free to contact either Joel Bergman, State Representative or myself .

Keep strong doing all the good work that you do!

Deb Hendron, BT, CASAC Joel Bergman, CASAC

AAPNY Area President AAPNY State Representative

Phone:( 518 ) 452-6750 joel_bergman@msn.com

Cell : ( 518) 221-2901 Phone: ( 518) 452-6744

Fax: ( 518) 452-6759 Cell: ( 518) 461-1174

The room was full!!

Frank Naccarato

Debra Hendron

Joel Bergman

Mary Delory and Hudson Mohawk Recovery Center's executive director, Jim Cowie

If you think you might want to become more involved in your local AAPNY chapter consider attending a meeting of the Capital District AAPNY Leadership Team on Saturday, November 15, at the Latham 76 Diner. If you'd like more information about this meeting, reply to this email or contact Deb or Joel at the above numbers.

AAPNY State Conference will be in Albany this year in June. We will be providing details about this important event as soon as they are available.

A payroll deduction plan for NAADAC/AAPNY dues has started at Hudson Mohawk Recovery Center. Payroll deduction is a relatively painless way to put aside money for your professional association dues. Talk to your agency about making this option available to its employees. Helpful forms are attached to this email.

If you are not already a member of NAADAC/AAPNY, you are encouraged to join. You can find information on membership at www.naadac.org. You can make local contact with AAPNY by emailing capitalregionaapny@nycap.rr.com or telephoning 528-0292 or 477-7535 or contacting Deb or Joel at the numbers listed above. Only a small percentage of the people who have attended the six addiction professional gatherings are NAADAC/AAPNY members. We think we have shown that membership has value on a local, state and national level. This year we have a goal of doubling our current membership which is now approximately 25. Please do your part. Join today!

If you have information you want to share with Capital Region addiction professionals send it to capitalregionaapny@nycap.rr.com and we'll include it in these emailings. If you want an email address added or deleted from this network just let us know.

Here are the topics for this emailing. Scroll down to the number for each item to see the full article.

1. NAADAC Supports Legislation to Aid Victims of Hurricanes

2. Cultural Competency Certification

3. NYSDOH -HIV & Tobacco Event Notice November 15th

4. TIP 44: Substance Abuse Treatment for Adults in the Criminal Justice System

5. Writers for Addictions Professional magazine

6. Spirituality Course Announcement

7. Two upcoming conferences of interest

8. Designing Interventions Using the Stages of Change

9. Investigating the Mind 2005
    The Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation
      DAR Constitution Hall, Washington DC
      November 8 - 10, 2005
     The Dalai Lama will participate fully in all sessions

It was great seeing many of you on October 20th! Thanks for your support.

Ferd Haverly, MS,CASAC
Counselor, Hudson Mohawk Recovery Center
743 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, New York 12061
518-477-7535
518-477-7555 (fax)
Secretary, Association for Addiction Professionals of New York (AAPNY)
518-528-0292
fhaverly@nycap.rr.com

For Immediate Release
October 26, 2005

Contact:
Andrew Kessler
703 741-7686, ext. 122
akessler@naadac.org

NAADAC Supports Legislation to Aid Victims of Hurricanes

Millions of Americans will benefit from access to services

Alexandria, VA - NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, announces their support for the legislation to be introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) on Thursday, October 27, 2005. This legislation intends to relieve one of the many hardships inflicted on millions of Americans by the recent spate of hurricanes in the Gulf Coast region.

Under current federal regulations, people with drug convictions on their records face the possible suspension or revocation of certain social services provided by the federal government, such as TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), food stamps or government housing. Federal student loans can also be denied to drug offenders. Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma have made life quite difficult along the Gulf Coast, and its victims are in desperate need of government assistance. Rep. Scott's legislation will temporarily narrow these roadblocks on government assistance to former drug offenders living in the Gulf Coast region, as they too are in dire need of the government's help and care.

"Mr. Scott's legislation is necessary for many reasons," said Andrew Kessler, Director of Government Relations for NAADAC. "Not only will it make life just a little easier for some of the unfortunate victims of the recent hurricanes, but it will also put a spotlight on the federal government's current policies. We hope that this can be the beginning of a move towards policies that encourage treatment and care for drug offenders, and policies that reflect an understanding of the complexities of drug addiction. We commend Mr. Scott and the bill's other supporters for taking on this urgent and necessary situation."

In partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Westover Consulting, Inc., NAADAC is sending 120 addiction professionals, all of whom are NAADAC members, to Louisiana to assist with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. In the aftermath of the hurricane, thousands of people need help in dealing with their present situation, whether it is addiction counseling, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide prevention or mental health treatment.

Dear Colleague,

The ASAP Cultural Diversity Committee is working closely with OASAS to
develop a curriculum for the training that will lead to a specialty
designation in cultural competency for the CASAC, CPP, and CPS. To
assist in the development of the curriculum, focus groups will be held
throughout NYS to determine what content should be included in the
cultural competency training. Our Cultural Diversity Committee would
like you to help us select a group of 12 focus group participants who
would be willing to attend a meeting in Albany (OASAS Exec. Conf. Room)
on Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and on
Thursday, Jan. 19 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. for line staff only.

If you can be part of this opportunity please respond back as soon as possible.
If you have suggestions for people to be involved please forward them to me as soon as possible.
I would like to gather a diverse group from all modalities of the addictions profession.

Thank you for your help with this project,
Nancy

Nancy E. Jones, MHSA, CEAP, CPP
Program Manager
BOCES-CAPIT
Suite 102
900 Watervliet-Shaker Rd.
Albany, NY 12205
www.schenectadyprevention.org
njones@gw.neric.org
(518) 464-3949 fax (518) 464-5127
Did you know Schenectady is a community of promise ?
Check out the website www.Schenectadyspromise.org

The AIDS Institute, in collaboration with the Tobacco Control Program and a significant number of agencies and organizations, is sponsoring a one-day event,

"Light Up Your Life: A Leadership Forum on HIV & Tobacco," on November 15th at the Caspary Auditorium, Rockefeller University in New York City.

The targeted audience is health & human service providers and consumers in leadership roles (planning councils, RW networks, advisory boards/committees, or providing service). I would encourage you to promote attendance of this with your staff and/or consumers. (Flyer attached)

This event is an opportunity to create awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and promote smoking cessation among clients and staff. AI funded programs are encouraged to promote attendance among staff and consumers.

The Institute is supporting smoking cessation across HIV services for a number of reasons:
1. Smoking prevalence in PLWHA is 2-3 times higher than in the general population (55-70% vs 22%).
2. Smoking is a risk factor for cardio-vascular diseases (CVD), many types of cancer, respiratory conditions, and has been causally associated with many more adverse health outcomes (Surgeon General’s Report 2004).
3. PLWHA are living longer and their risks for other age-associated chronic conditions are higher.

Lastly, some antiretrovirals contribute to increase the risk factors for CVD. PLWHA are now falling ill or dying of non-AIDS related illnesses. Smoking is a major risk factor for their morbidity and mortality. This paradigm shift highlights the need to focus on modifiable risk factors like smoking to further improve the health status of PLWHA.

The registration deadline is drawing near so please act quickly.

Howard E. Lavigne
New York State Department of Health
Central NY Regional Office
217 S. Salina Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: (315) 477-8479
Fax: (315) 477-8581
Cell: (315) 380-1632
HEL01@health.state.ny.us

Lisa M. Howard
NeATTC Information Specialist
IPDA
125 Wolf Rd., Suite 505
Albany, NY 12205

518-435-0620
FAX 518-435-0463

Unifying Research, Education & Practice to Transform Lives
www.neattc.org and www.ipdany.org

TIP 44: Substance Abuse Treatment for Adults in the Criminal Justice System

Research consistently demonstrates a strong connection between criminal
activity and substance abuse; research also finds that involvement in
substance abuse treatment reduces recidivism for offenders who use drugs.
This TIP presents clinical guidelines to assist counselors in dealing with
problems that routinely arise because of their clients' status in the
criminal justice system.
<http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/media/Prevline/pdfs/bkd526.pdf>

from Lisa Howard

Gary Enos, Editor of the Addiction Professional Magazine, is looking for writers for specific topics coming up in the 2006 editions of the magazine.

The specifics are listed below:

* Clinical considerations in the treatment of methamphetamine addiction.
The focus would be on the issues that impede treatment success, such as cognitive deficits, etc., and how to address them, not on the societal phenomenon of methamphetamine's growing use. There have been a lot of stories in the media on meth, but I've seen very little of high quality in print about the clinical/treatment issues.

* The pros and cons of using small prizes/rewards as an incentive to keep clients in treatment and for them to maintain sobriety. There was a study published in the October issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry that seems to back this approach.

* Efforts to work with the college-age population on problem drinking/alcohol addiction. I've been wanting to look at the campus drinking issue for some time.

* A counselor's perspective on faith-based addiction programs and how they are playing out in a clinical context.

* A look at fitness and recreational issues and how they should/can be integrated into treatment for the addicted client.

If you are interested in writing on any of these topics, or know someone who would be, please contact Donovan Kuehn at dkuehn@naadac.org or 800-548-0497, ext 125.

Living Life on Life's Terms: Integrating Spirituality into the Therapeutic Process with Addicted Adults

The Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) is offering an online program on Spirituality in Recovery

For years the spiritual component of the recovery process has largely fallen under the auspices of Twelve Step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Recently, however, there has been an increased awareness and interest in spiritual practices and processes as adjuncts to more traditional medical and psychotherapeutic interventions in the addictive process. This course will explore some of the latest thinking on the value of spiritual beliefs and practices in the recovery process and how the addictions counselor can integrate a spiritual focus into treatment without pushing a particular religion or set of beliefs on the client. We will investigate the concept that an individual's spirituality is an invaluable resource in recovery and work with specific practices, such as meditation and mindfulness, as not only a part of the Twelve Step tradition, but as specific tools for stress reduction, and to help clients expand awareness and learn to meet life's ups and downs without the intervening effects of chemical intoxication.

This course will be taught by Patricia A. Burke, MSW, LCSW a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work with over eighteen years of experience. Author of Breathe Deeply! Healing Stories for the Soul, Patricia is the co-founder of the Beyond Mind Healing Center (BMHC) and maintains a private clinical practice in West Baldwin, Maine.

This course will begin on December 5, 2005, and will run for four weeks. The required time commitment is two hours per week (8 contact hours). There are no real time events associated with this course. All course material will be posted on the Internet.

The total cost of this course is $40.00 (US). Refund requests will be honored until the posting of the second lesson (December 15, 2005), after which there will be no refunds. For additional information regarding this course offering, as well as a link to the ATTC of New England Distance Education course 'Spirituality' registration page, please go to the following WWW site and read the Official Course Announcement.

http://www.attc-ne.org/courses/244/ann.html

At the bottom of the course announcement you will find a link to the registration page. If you find that you have additional questions or concerns after reading the course announcement, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Monte D. Bryant, BA
Technology Programming and Evaluation Administrator
Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England
Box G-BH
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
401-444-1811
http://www.attc-ne.org

Hope you are well! NAADAC would like to inform you of two conferences that are coming up.

1. WESTERN CONFERENCE ON ADDICTIONS

SPECIAL OFFER FOR NAADAC MEMBERS:
Register now for the Western Conference on Addictions for a $100 discount.

The Western Conference on Addictions, will be held Nov. 11-13, 2005, at the Hilton in Universal City, California, and will draw together experts from across the country to discuss the latest research on addiction and treatment interventions. The conference is hosted by UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP), the Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Matrix Institute and the Clinical Trials Network Pacific Region Node.

There is a special discount of $100 per person for all NAADAC members (regularly $295). Up to 18 continuing education credits are available. Information and registration information is available at www.uclaisap.org or call Shaquita Tillman at (310) 445-0874 ext 321.

2. SECAD 2005

REGISTER NOW FOR THE EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT

SECAD 2005, "An international conference for Alcohol and Drug addiction Professionals," will be held November 30 - December 3, 2005 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Plan to be with us as SECAD celebrates 30 years as one of the world's finest educational conferences in the field of alcohol and drug addiction treatment. Nowhere else can you find such a wealth of critical subject matter, internationally renowned presenters and the most extensive exhibit area in the industry. SECAD combines all these in an atmosphere of comprehensive learning and cooperation that make the "SECAD Experience" something you truly have to see to believe! Call today to register for SECAD 2005.

Register before October 31st for the Early Bird registration fee of $395. Registration includes all general and concurrent sessions and events from Wednesday, Nov. 30 through Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005. Up to 27 CEUs are available!

To register call 1-866-293-5510 or visit www.naatp.org/secad

Designing Interventions Using the Stages of Change

The Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), is offering an advanced course on designing interventions using the Stages of Change. This course is part two of a two part series. PLEASE NOTE: Course participants are encouraged to take The Stages of Change in Addiction Treatment, or are expected to have a general understanding of the Stage of Changes model prior to taking this course.

In this course we will examine how to identify and utilize a client’s Stage of Change in the development of stage-specific interventions. The primary goal of this course is to demonstrate how to design stage-specific interventions to meet clients where they are in their recovery and process of change. Participants in this course will explore issues associated with readiness for change, stage-specific motivational strategies for change, and the process of intervention matching. Special consideration will be given to stage-specific conflicts, overcoming or rolling with resistance, and eliciting self-motivation for change. This course is intended for those with a general understanding of the Stages of Change model and is not intended as in introduction to this material.

This course will begin on November 28, 2005, and will run for five weeks. The required time commitment is two hours per week (10 contact hours). There are no real time events associated with this course. All course material will be posted on the Internet.

The total cost of this course is $40.00 (US). Refund requests will be honored until the posting of the second lesson (December 8, 2005), after which there will be no refunds. For additional information regarding this course offering, as well as a link to the ATTC of New England Distance Education course 'Designing Interventions/Stages of Change' registration page, please go to the following WWW site and read the Official Course Announcement.

http://www.attc-ne.org/courses/243/ann.html

At the bottom of the course announcement you will find a link to the registration page. If you find that you have additional questions or concerns after reading the course announcement, please feel free to contact me.

Investigating the Mind 2005
    The Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation
      DAR Constitution Hall, Washington DC
      November 8 - 10, 2005
     The Dalai Lama will participate fully in all sessions

SEE ATTACHED ANNOUNCEMENT!

The Mind & Life Institute presents: MIND & LIFE XIII
Co-hosted by Georgetown University Medical Center and
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Investigating the Mind 2005
The Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation
DAR Constitution Hall, Washington DC
November 8 - 10, 2005
The Dalai Lama will participate fully in all sessions

Jointly sponsored by The Mind & Life Institute and CME-accredited by Georgetown University Hospital.

For Conference and Registration Information go to: www.InvestigatingTheMind.org

Speakers and Panelists at "Investigating the Mind 2003" at MIT in Cambridge, MA.

This latest Mind and Life public meeting "Investigating the Mind 2005: The Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation" builds on the growing interest in meditation within modern medicine and biomedical science that has arisen over the past thirty years and further explores the emerging clinical opportunities.

CONFERENCE SESSIONS
1. Meditation-Based Clinical Interventions: Science, Practice, and Implementation
2. Possible Biological Substrates of Meditation
3. Clinical Research I: Meditation and Mental Health
4. Clinical Research II: Meditation and Physical Health
5. Integration & Final Reflections

SPEAKERS
Ajahn Amaro, B.Sc. — Abhayagiri Monastery
Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D. — University of Wisconsin-Madison *
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. — U. of Mass. Medical School, Emeritus *
Daniel Kahneman, Ph.D. — Princeton University
Helen S. Mayberg, M.D. — Emory University
Robert M. Sapolsky, Ph.D. — Stanford University
Zindel V. Segal, Ph.D. — University of Toronto
David S. Sheps, M.D. — University of Florida
John F. Sheridan, Ph.D. — Ohio State University
Wolf Singer, M.D., Ph.D. — Max-Planck-Institut für Hirnforschung
Ralph Snyderman, M.D. — Duke University Medical Center

PANELISTS
Jan Chozen Bays, M.D. — Great Vow Zen Monastery
Joan Halifax, Ph.D. — Upaya Zen Center
Father Thomas Keating, OCSO — St. Benedict’s Monastery
Margaret E. Kemeny, Ph.D. — University of California-SF
Jack Kornfield, Ph.D. — Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Matthieu Ricard, Ph.D. — Shechen Monastery *
Sharon Salzberg, R.N. — Insight Meditation Society
Bennett M. Shapiro, M.D. — Merck Research Laboratories, Emeritus *
Esther M. Sternberg, M.D. — National Institute of Mental Health *
John D. Teasdale, Ph.D. — MRC Cog. & Brain Sci. Unit, Emeritus
B. Alan Wallace, Ph.D. — Santa Barbara Institute
* Denotes Session Moderator

Meditation is becoming Mainstream in Western Medicine and Society

Applications of meditation are now common in the treatment of stress, pain, and a range of chronic diseases in both medicine and psychiatry, and some approaches are currently the subject of NIH-supported clinical trials and research studies. At the same time, the power of our non-invasive technologies have made it possible to investigate the nature of cognition and emotion in the brain as never before, and to begin to explore the interfaces between mind, brain, and body, and the implications of particular forms of meditative practices for modulating and regulating biological pathways to restore or enhance homeostatic processes and perhaps extend the reach of both mind and body in ways that might potentially promote rehabilitation and healing as well as greater overall health and well-being.

Recent studies are showing that meditation can result in stable brain patterns and changes over both short and long-term intervals that have not been seen before in human beings and that suggest the potential for the systematic driving of positive neuroplastic changes via such intentional practices cultivated over time. These investigations may offer opportunities for understanding the basic unifying mechanisms of the brain, mind and body that underlie awareness and our capacity for effective adaptation to stressful and uncertain conditions.

Mind and Life Dialogues

Mind and Life Institute XIII is the latest in a series of dialogues between scientists, the Dalai Lama, and other Buddhist contemplatives on areas of mutual interest at the intersection of western empirical science and the contemplative traditions and their associated methodologies, psychologies, and philosophies. Prior to 2003, all of these meetings have been held in private; however books describing them have been published and are widely available.

Investigating the Mind 2005: The Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation is the second Mind and Life Dialogue that will be open to a large audience, consisting primarily of people working in the fields of medicine, clinical psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, as well as students in these fields.