Description: Stigma of substance use can impede appropriate and preventive care that is critical for older adults and their wellness. Biased perceptions of substance use can often dismiss health-related impacts of substance use and impede prevention efforts with the aging community. This webinar will explore how stigma of substance use with older adults underscores the lack of screening and tailored prevention. Content will further inform and educate on age-related challenges that increase substance misuse, medication adherence, and person-centered brief intervention approaches. *Please note - tickets are not needed for this event. After registering, the Zoom link will be included in the confirmation email. Trainer: Diana Padilla, MCPC, CTSS, CARC Credits: This training has been approved for 2.5 renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and 2.5 initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses are granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee. Many other states offer reciprocity - please check with your accrediting agency. Additionally, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc., Training Institute is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0694. Participants are required to attend the webinar in its entirety, turn on their video cameras, and actively participate in order to receive a certificate of completion.

The World Health Organization has identified a critical public health concern in its World No Tobacco Day 2026 theme—how the tobacco and nicotine industry continues to reinvent products to attract and addict a new generation. Despite decades of progress in tobacco control, emerging products such as e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and synthetic nicotine devices are being aggressively marketed to youth using appealing flavors, sleek packaging, and digital media strategies. This webinar is essential for public health professionals, educators, and community stakeholders seeking to understand the evolving landscape of nicotine products and the growing global burden of youth use. The webinar will provide participants with practical skills to analyze industry tactics, interpret emerging data on youth nicotine use, and apply evidence-based strategies for prevention, education, and policy advocacy. Special emphasis will be placed on tobacco regulatory science, youth-centered interventions, and translating research into real-world public health action. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Describe current trends in youth use of tobacco and emerging nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. Examine how industry tactics—such as flavors, packaging, and digital marketing—drive youth initiation and addiction. Analyze the role of product innovations (e.g., nicotine salts, synthetic nicotine) in increasing addiction potential. Apply evidence-based public health and policy strategies to reduce product appeal and prevent nicotine addiction among youth. Presented by Priyanka Ravi, MDS, PhD

May 27th and 28th, 10-11:30 Eastern Time Description: This interactive learning community conversation focuses on the development of groups and the use of groups as a method of intervention. Emphasis will be placed on group work vs. case work in a group, and the skills necessary to facilitate groups. Prior group facilitation experience is a plus and is not required. *Please note: Tickets are not needed for this event. After registering, the Zoom links will be included in the confirmation email. Trainer: Paul Warren, LMSW Credits: This training has been approved for three renewal hours (CASAC, CPP, CPS) and three initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses are granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee. Many other states offer reciprocity - please check with your accrediting agency. Additionally, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc., Training Institute is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0694. Participants are required to attend both sessions in their entirety, turn on their video cameras, and actively participate in order to receive a certificate of completion.

Presenter: Chris Bositis, MD, Clinical Director, UCSF National Clinician Consultation Center (NCCC) In spite of recent gains made in reducing new HIV infections in the US as a whole, the rate of new infections in people with SUD remains unchanged, with several significant outbreaks the last 10 years highlighting the need for low-barrier approaches to address the SUD/infectious disease syndemic (a “syndemic” is when multiple conditions combine to create worse health outcomes than if they’d occurred separately). The availability of novel, long-acting buprenorphine formulations is transforming the SUD treatment landscape and has the potential to serve as a model for expanding access to integrated HIV prevention and treatment services for this community as well. This webinar reviewed key background concepts and epidemiology related to the SUD/ID syndemic, discussed the potential benefits of integrated care models in addressing this syndemic, and highlighted how lessons learned from DTI strategies for SUD care can be leveraged to improve HIV prevention and treatment and care integration in general. Download slides | Watch recording

Adolescence is a formative period when family relationships strongly influence behavior, coping skills, and recovery outcomes. Substance use during this stage can disrupt brain development, social functioning, and family dynamics. Families often face challenges knowing how to support a youth struggling with SUDs, making family-centered interventions critical to effective treatment. This 90-minute webinar will equip behavioral health professionals with evidence-based strategies to involve families in prevention, treatment, and recovery. Participants will learn to assess family dynamics, strengthen communication, repair relational disruptions, and implement interventions that foster resilience and long-term recovery. Practical case examples and will provide actionable tools for engaging caregivers, siblings, and other supportive adults in care.   Learning Objectives: Explain how family dynamics and relationships impact adolescent substance use and recovery. Identify evidence-based approaches for family interventions with adolescents experiencing SUDs. Apply strategies to engage caregivers and supportive family members in treatment and recovery planning. Recognize common barriers families face and develop strategies to enhance engagement in care. Promote resilience and recovery by leveraging family strengths and youth perspectives in interventions.   TRAINER: Michelle Evans, DSW, MBA, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a career dedicated to supporting individuals and families impacted by addiction, particularly within the Hispanic/Latino community. She brings extensive experience in leadership, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Elgin Mental Health Center, a state forensic psychiatric hospital in Elgin, Illinois, and has worked as a bilingual forensic evaluator and treatment provider. In her private practice at Nickerson & Associates, PC, Dr. Evans specializes in evaluating and treating adolescents and adults facing substance and sex addictions. Her clinical work addresses the complex intersection of addiction, trauma, and mental health, helping clients rebuild their lives and relationships. Dr. Evans is also an educator, teaching social work and mental health courses at Aurora University and Indiana Wesleyan University. A passionate advocate for equity, justice, and culturally responsive care, she is committed to advancing awareness, compassion, and effective services for marginalized and underserved populations. Her career exemplifies a dedication to person-centered, culturally grounded approaches in addressing addiction and mental health challenges.   The Great Lakes ATTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.

Current research findings have highlighted various factors associated with the steady increase in alcohol consumption over the last several years. The pandemic has forced the American population to deal with unprecedented challenges, and many have turned to alcohol to deal with the stress of an unfamiliar and unstable environment. A major portion of these persons don’t meet the criteria of Alcohol Use Disorder, but are at risk of developing serious health problems and other psychosocial consequences. This interactive webinar will present on the risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption, the impact of alcohol on the body, identify tools and approaches for screening alcohol use, and prevention strategies to address risk behavior.