Agenda

Learning Objectives  

• Define: Factors that go into creating effective, compelling grant proposal content. 
  • How Rationale, Urgency, and Emotion all play a role.
• Understand: The grant process and key elements that help determine what funds to apply for and how to apply for them.
  • Statement of Need, Program Description, and Sustainability
• Create: budgets for grant proposals that includes dollar figures and supporting narrative documentation
  • Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative
• Review: SAMHSA grant basics
  • Grants.gov overview, ERA Commons overview, Important terms and tips to consider.

This workshop addresses the root causes of this division in the house of recovery. It begins with CCAPP CEO, Pete Nielsen addressing the alarming lack of knowledge that clients have about their own medication choices and options by using a unique graphic produced by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals and Harbage Consulting. As part of the MAT Toolkit, this laminated one-page tool allows clients to see medication options, alongside a column that describes ways in which the medication may impact their lifestyle, so that conversations between practitioner and client can be more in-depth and decisions about medication can be truly client driven.  

Armed with proper knowledge about their medications, clients can then be taught ways to advocate for themselves with others in recovery who may be mistrustful, prideful about their own abstinence, or just plain jealous that some else “gets to still use.” Each of these common objections will be thoroughly considered through role play and review of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan’s, Ten Steps to Being an Effective Self-Advocate.  

Because resistance within families, whether they be families of origin or recovery residence housing, can be extremely damaging to acceptance of MAT, David Sheridan, Executive Director of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) will review new standards that help families with medication management, medication storage, and potential misuse. With practical advice about how to work with medication within a household, participants at the workshop will be prepared to answer practical questions many families and members of congregate living programs may have. He will present a model policy for MAT clients in “sober living” and will discuss legal and ethical issues surrounding “dispensing,” “dosing,” and “storage.” 

Learning Objectives: 

Graphic tools for making MAT decisions more “client driven” will be understood from the perspective of the client.  

Participants will learn precise techniques to empower clients to effectively explain MAT to other recovering people in ways that are consistent with traditional recovery norms. 

Long term hurdles to MAT integration involving recovery housing pushback and family mistrust will be discussed and broken down so that societal acceptance can be improved.  

Strategies for overcoming MAT anonymity in a 12-step world will be outlined to encourage recovery supports from historically effective mutual aid groups.

March 26, 2021, SACRAMENTO – Despite a growing substance use disorder (SUD) epidemic ravaging the country, the State of California has still not adopted an SUD licensure program for professionals dedicated to helping those suffering from the disease of addiction. While there has been an increase in demand for people attempting to obtain treatment, there unfortunately is a not a large enough, qualified workforce to help out. The California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) has been the state’s largest and most vocal advocacy organization urging the passage of legislation to create a new license that would allow individuals to seek treatment from individual private practitioners. 

Unfortunately, SUD professionals are looked at as paraprofessionals and not as “qualified” or legitimate as physicians and mental health therapists. Therefore, funding for the profession, and specifically the creation of an SUD counselor license, has not been allowed or made a priority. This is a problem for many reasons. The SUD workforce desperately needs to be expanded, especially when many in the industry are getting ready to retire, whilst the demand for treatment increases. However, even if people are inclined to go into the SUD counselor industry, they may not stay because there is no option to work up the career ladder to become licensed. Creating licensure would guarantee the SUD professionals would have the option to earn salaries commensurate with other behavioral health professionals. SUD counselors deserve to have the same prestige, respect and pay level as other health professionals, otherwise known as Licensed Practitioners of the Healing Arts (LPHAs). When this is possible, there will no doubt be in an influx of professionals in this industry to expand the workforce. 

Another issue with California not having a SUD counselor licensure, is public safety. Without licensure, anyone is able to open an outpatient program or private practice and give unregulated services to those seeking help. This can lead to vulnerable people, who are trying to get help for their addiction, being victimized or taken advantage of and no one being held accountable for it. This can be detrimental to patients’ lives and lead to additional unethical practices opening.