Coming Together Conference | Substance Use Disorders

Speaker giving presentation on scientific business conference.

Removing the stigma surrounding substance use disorders

The annual Coming Together Conference enhances public and professional knowledge of Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and Recovery. The event discusses the most current tools and methods of treating SUD/co-occurring mental health disorders, and aims to reduce the stigmas associated with addiction and recovery. Professionals from medicine, law, criminal justice, social work, counseling, and education are joined by national experts and spokespersons in a full day of presentations and workshops. The conference facilitates conversation and partnerships with a variety of community organizations, while sharing community resources, programs, and outreach services available for SUD and Recovery in our region.

WHEN

Conference Kick Off
Tuesday, October 29 | 5:30 pm – 8 pm
Two Hours of Accredited Sessions Available!

Free and open to the public.

Conference Continued
Wednesday, October 30 | 7:30 am – 4 pm

WHERE

Delta Hotels Kalamazoo Conference Center
2747 S. 11th St.
Kalamazoo, MI 49009

CONTINUING EDUCATION

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Western Michigan University
Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine and Community Healing Centers. Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Credit amount subject to change.

CREDITS

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (8.00 hours)

ACE CE Credits (8.00 hours)

APA CE Credits (8.00 hours)

Continuing Nursing Credit- ANCC (8.00 hours)

Continuing Pharmacy Education ACPE (8.00 hours)

General Attendance (8.00 hours)

IPCE Credit (8.00 hours)

Other Learner Attendance (8.00 hours)

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

Amber Walker
MA, LPC, IMH-E® | Children’s Clinical Supervisor, Community Healing Centers

Amy Dolinky
Opioid Settlement Technical Advisor, Michigan Association of Counties

Dr. Andre Johnson
CEO, Detroit Recovery Project

Bradley Casemore
MHSA, LMSW, FACHE | CEO, Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health

Carolyn Hardin
Chief of Training and Research, All Rise

Chris Pompey
Founder and CEO, Reach Sober Living Inc.

David Best
Doctor and Director, Centre for Addiction Recovery Research, Leeds Trinity University, UK

Dominick Gladstone
Vivacity Ventures LLC, Recovery Advocate and Activist

Emma Brown
Student

Helena Cole
Youth Peer Support, ASK Family Services

James “Bud” Day
Language and Culture Director, Gun Lake Tribe

Jen Strebs
Kalamazoo County Commissioner, Kalamazoo County Opioid Task Force Chair

Jerome Pete Reed
Certifying Scientist, Forensic Fluids Laboratories

Judith E. Lipson
Licensed Professional Counselor

Dr. Kenlana Ferguson
Chief Consultant, Ferguson Consulting

Madhavi Latha Nagalla
Psychiatry Residency Program Director, WMed Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

Mark G. Goetting, MD
Associate Professor, Division Head – Pediatric Neurology and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Medicine Center for Clinical Research Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

Matt Hollander
Partner and Senior Developer, Hollander Development

Maureen McGlinchey Ford, MD
Emergency Medicine Physician, Bronson Health System and Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine

Pamela Coffey
Founder and Executive Director, Healthy House for Women

Dr. Rebecca Werner, MD
Physician, Gun Lake Tribe Health & Human Services

Victoria Orbe, LMSW CAADC
Elizabeth Upjohn Clinical Director, Community Healing Centers

SESSION INFORMATION

MORNING KEYNOTE:

Dare them to Dream: Building Recovery Capital Step by Step
Carolyn Hardin | Chief of Training and Research, All Rise

Before a person can achieve long-term recovery, they must be able to envision it. In this session, you will learn how to dare your treatment court participants to dream for their future. Session attendees will discover how to reimagine program phases so that as clients progress, each phase helps them learn new skills to identify assets and build personal, social, and community recovery capital.

AFTERNOON KEYNOTE:

Recovery Capital — The Importance of Measurement
David Best | Doctor and Director, Centre for Addiction Recovery Research, Leeds Trinity University, UK

Recovery capital has been transformative in recovery science as it has afforded us a strength-based metric that allows us to track growth and progress at an individual level but also to evaluate the effectiveness of recovery-oriented interventions. The presentation will summarize the tools used and their impact on knowledge and on practical implementation.

SPARK SESSIONS

Closing the Treatment Gap: Integrating Medications for Addiction Treatment and Harm Reduction into Emergency Care
Maureen McGlinchey Ford, MD | Emergency Medicine Physician, Bronson Health System and Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine

Dr. Ford describes a Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Program she and her team developed at Bronson Emergency Departments. Lessons learned though program implementation have inspired her to become an Addiction Medicine specialist and advocate for continued care improvement for patients with any substance use disorder in Southwest Michigan.

Helping Our Underserved Populations
Dr. Andre Johnson | Detroit Recovery Project CEO

Detroit Recovery Project Inc (DRP) utilizes the SAMHSA definition of harm reduction as a practical and transformative approach that incorporates community-driven public health strategies — including prevention, risk reduction, and health promotion — to empower PWUD and their families with the choice to live healthier, self-directed, and purpose-filled lives. Harm reduction centers the lived and living experience of PWUD, especially those in underserved communities, in these strategies and the practices that flow from them.

OCTOBER 29, 5:30 – 8:00 PM

Person Journey — Cultivating Recovery Capital
David Best | Doctor and Director, Centre for Addiction Recovery Research, Leeds Trinity University, UK

Dr. Best will share his pivotal role in cultivating recovery capital and how he was originally inspired by the idea that there are aspects of recovery that can be counted and measured, potentially overcoming the criticism that recovery is a vague, nebulous and ultimately unscientific concept. While significant progress has been made in measuring personal recovery capital, that is only the first part of the equation. We should increasingly turn our attention to how we can support people to grow their recovery capital.

Implicit Bias Related to Addiction
Dominick Gladstone | Vivacity Ventures LLC, Recovery Advocate and Activist

50+ years after the American Medical Association declared addiction a disease, society still faces a great deal of addiction stigma. The language we use, the media we view, and conversations we have, affect us all, subconsciously. This session will explore our bias, why awareness is important, and how to break it.

OCTOBER 30, 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Cannabinoid and Emerging Substance Trends in Oral Fluid
Jerome Pete Reed | Certifying Scientist, Forensic Fluids Laboratories

In the past decade, there has been an explosion of novel psychoactive substances (NPS), cannabinoids, and adulterants in drug using populations. Substance use disorder treatment (SUD) programs are challenged to detect these substances, and oral fluid toxicological monitoring can aid in SUD treatment practices.

Cultivating Cultural Competency: Uncovering Biases and Building Inclusive Communities
Dr. Kenlana Ferguson | Chief Consultant, Ferguson Consulting

This session delves into cultural competency through dynamic activities and real-world examples. Participants will uncover personal biases, learn how they shape interactions, and explore practical strategies to foster inclusive environments. Engaging discussions and interactive exercises will equip attendees to confidently apply cultural competency in their professional and community settings.

Gun Lake Tribe Health & Human Services: Mental Health Services for American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN)
James “Bud” Day | Language and Culture Director, Gun Lake Tribe
Dr. Rebecca Werner, MD | Physician, Gun Lake Tribe Health & Human Services

Attendees will learn about American Indian/Alaska Native culture and care coordination within Tribal Health Centers. Presenters will highlight integrated care approaches at Gun Lake Tribe’s Health & Human Services department to support one’s physical and mental health and efforts to achieve Mno Bmadzewen “good way of living.”

The Impact of Parental Substance Use on Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
Amber R. Walker, MA, LPC, IMH-E® | Children’s Clinical Supervisor, Community Healing Centers

Infants and children rely on caregivers for attuned, predictable, nurturing relationships as they develop and make sense of their world. When parents and caregivers are impaired, this need often goes unmet leading to poor outcomes including delayed development, relationship difficulties, mental health challenges, and exposure to trauma.

Management of Substance Use Disorders in the Perinatal Period
Madhavi Latha Nagalla | Psychiatry Residency Program Director, WMed Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

In this session we will talk about Benzodiazepine and Opioid use in the perinatal period. We will discuss medications used in the management of substance used disorders and their safety in the perinatal period.

New and Upcoming Sober Housing
Chris Pompey | Founder and CEO, Reach Sober Living Inc.
Pamela Coffey | Founder and Executive Director, Healthy House for Women
Matt Hollander | Partner and Senior Developer, Hollander Development

We all know housing is an issue in Kalamazoo, especially for those with a substance use disorder. Come learn about the exciting new housing opportunities coming to Kalamazoo that target those in recovery. Also learn about the continuum of housing options in Kalamazoo County for those with a substance use disorder and the difference between recovery housing and sober living.

Opioid Settlement Funds Deployment with Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health: Assuring Positive Impact
Bradley Casemore, MHSA, LMSW, FACHE | CEO, Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health
Amy Dolinky | Opioid Settlement Technical Advisor, Michigan Association of Counties
Jen Strebs | Kalamazoo County Commissioner, Kalamazoo County Opioid Task Force Chair

$1.5 billion in opioid settlement funds is flowing into Michigan through the state, counties and municipalities creating an unprecedented opportunity to favorably impact individuals and communities. Join several knowledgeable subject matter experts to share ideas and synergize your activity over the next decade.

Psychadelics and Cyberdelics Role in Treating SUD and Psychiatric Disorders
Mark G. Goetting, MD | Associate Professor, Division Head – Pediatric Neurology and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Medicine Center for Clinical Research Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

Infants and children rely on caregivers for attuned, predictable, nurturing relationships as they develop and make sense of their world. When parents and caregivers are impaired, this need often goes unmet leading to poor outcomes including delayed development, relationship difficulties, mental health challenges, and exposure to trauma.

Recognizing and Addressing Neurodiversity in Your Substance Use Disorder Clients
Judith E. Lipson | Licensed Professional Counselor

Develop a broader understanding of how neurosensitivities, including those with ADHD, ASD, PTSD and TBI, impact daily life. Learn how these sensitivities can potentially be a factor in alcohol and substance use. Then learn to environmentally, energetically and therapeutically address your clients with this neurodiverse knowledge.

Substance Use Youth Panel Discussion
Helena Cole | Youth Peer Support, ASK Family Services
Emma Brown | Student
Victoria Orbe, LMSW CAADC | Elizabeth Upjohn Clinical Director, Community Healing Centers

This youth-led panel discussion will explore the diverse experiences of youth in substance use and recovery, as shared through their personal journeys, highlighting challenges, strategies, and insights for fostering empathy, support, and effective interventions in our communities.

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