Schedule

Miriam Komaromy, MD, FACP, DFASAM (Executive Director, Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center; Professor of Medicine, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University)

Mayor Joseph Petty (City of Worcester)

Andrea Smith (The Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band Council) Jodie Chapdelaine (Chair, Hassanamisco Nipmuc Health Committee) Bruce Curliss (Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band)

Michael Curry, Esq. (President & CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers)

Speaker: Jon Soske, PhD (Research Associate, Brown University. Providence, RI) Moderator: Paul Alves, RCPF, CARC, NCPRSS (Executive Director, Choice Recovery Coaching. Springfield, MA) Panelists: Richard Zombeck (Recovery Coach, Lynn Community Health Center) Edwin Suarez (Recovery Coach, Eliot Community Human Services. Worcester, MA.) Gabriel Quaglia, CHW (Direct Services Provider Program Coordinator, Support After a Death by Overdose [SADOD]) Athena Haddon (Executive Director of Peer Services and Recovery Supports, Spectrum Health Systems. Worcester, MA.) Dallas Clark (Founder, Director, Cultivating Better Minds. Springfield, MA.) Danielle O’Brien, B.S., LADCII, CARC (Director of Recovery Services, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services) Summary: After decades of playing a critical role in providing strengths-based recovery support, peer recovery specialists are becoming widely recognized. From the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration to the American Journal of Public Health, important voices have called to expand this role in response to the overdose crisis and strains on the substance use disorder treatment system. However, this success has been accompanied by serious challenges. Recent publications have described burnout, emotional exhaustion, moral injury, economic exploitation, and high workforce turnover. Programs have shut down due to lack of sustainable funding and inability to retain peer staff. Although these impacts intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, they began before March 2020 and have continued since. As one outreach worker recently stated: “The new normal is a nonstop crisis.” This panel will be led by Jon Soske, PhD, who will outline an "agenda for a debate" by discussing the transformation of the peer recovery specialist role and major challenges to making the peer workforce sustainable. A panel of peer recovery specialists, chaired by Paul Alves (Choices Recovery Coaching), will respond to these proposals in a lively debate.

Use this time to connect with others!

Led by: Noel Vest, PhD (Assistant Professor, Boston University School of Public Health. Boston, MA.) Sarah Lotsoff (Tufts Harm Reduction Education for Alcohol and Drugs, Tufts University) Drew Corcoran (Boston College) Johnny Smith (Harvard University) Caroline Yancey (Boston College) Summary: This session will explore the landscape of addiction recovery support at colleges in Massachusetts, featuring insights from four college students in recovery at Boston College, Harvard, and Tufts University. We will examine the differences in recovery resources across these institutions, with a focus on how the collegiate recovery programs (CRPs) at Boston College and Tufts contribute to or challenge their recovery journeys. The discussion will begin with a brief overview of the history of collegiate recovery, highlighting recent research findings and key statistics in the field. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the varied experiences of students in recovery and the role of institutional support in fostering their success.

Led By: Jeff Baxter, MD (Chief Medical Officer, Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., Worcester, MA.) Ryan Walker (Assistant Director of Licensing, Quality Assurance and Licensing, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services) Heidi DiRoberto, LMHC (Regional Executive Director, Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., Worcester, MA.) Tania Diduca (Chief of Staff, South Middlesex Opportunity Council) Summary: For decades methadone treatment has been limited almost exclusively to free-standing OTP sites, creating barriers to treatment access such as travel distance and transportation. Methadone delivered through mobile units has been utilized to expand access and reach populations facing these barriers. In this workshop we will discuss our experience in the last few years launching mobile methadone services in Worcester, MA. Topics will include manufacturing, funding and licensing of the mobile unit, working with community partners to identify populations in need and locations where the unit can operate, and managing treatment services ‘on-the-go’, such as medical evaluations for admission, medication dispensing, behavioral treatment and social services. Participants will be asked to brainstorm potential applications of this model in their own home communities, listing populations that could benefit and community partners that might be willing to collaborate.

Led by: Ramona Reno (Executive Director, Re-entry and Recovery Program, MassHire Holyoke Career Center; Holyoke, MA) Summary: In this interactive workshop, participants will explore strategies to support individuals in recovery as they navigate employment opportunities. Designed for clinicians and social workers, the session integrates elements of the Recovery Ready Employment Specialist (RRES) training, focusing on creating recovery-ready workplaces, reducing stigma, and applying trauma-informed approaches. Attendees will engage in a hands-on activity to build empathy and understanding, learn effective motivational interviewing techniques, and discover actionable steps to collaborate with employers and community resources. By the end of the session, participants will leave with practical tools to empower individuals in recovery to achieve economic stability and personal growth.

Moderated by: Deirdre Calvert, LICSW (Director, Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services. Boston, MA.) Panelists: Alexandria Kearns (Program Coordinator, Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services. Boston, MA.) Audrey Clairmont (Chief Operating Officer, North Suffolk Community Services. Boston, MA.) John Sanchez (Recovery Coach, North Suffolk Community Services, Boston MA) Desiree Pelletier (Program Director, Behavioral Health Network. Springfield, MA.) Claudia Muradian-Brubach, MBA (Total Rewards Director, Behavioral Health Network) Summary: Despite ongoing workforce shortages and overwhelming evidence that hiring individuals with lived experience improves patient care and outcomes, individuals with lived experience — and hiring managers — often face hiring challenges due to their criminal offender record information (CORI). This panel will shed light on the commonwealth’s second-level CORI review waiver process including the required steps involved. It will also provide an employer’s perspective on this process and highlight the experience of individuals with lived experience who have been impacted by CORIs.

Led by: Justin, Alves, RN, FNP-BC, ACRN, AACRN, CARN, CNE (Clinical Nurse Educator, Grayken Center for Addiction Training and Technical Assistance. Boston, MA.) Jen Miller, M.A. (Director of Grants and Innovation, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health) Megan Hudson. MSN, PMHNP-BC (Clinical Nurse Educator, Grayken Center for Addiction Training and Technical Assistance. Boston, MA.) Kristin Parent, MA, LMHC (Program Director, Stimulant Treatment and Recovery Team, Boston Medical Center) Summary: This session provides strategies for preparing and changing clinic culture to accommodate the needs of people who use stimulants. The session will review evidence-based pharmacotherapeutic and behavioral health interventions for primary stimulant use disorders. We will reflect upon lessons learned in creating the Stimulant Treatment and Recovery Team (START) Clinic at Boston Medical Center, including how to disseminate the model of care, fund staff, implement contingency management interventions, and develop and roll out ambulatory groups.

Led by: Al Ortiz (Manager for Recovery Services, Holyoke Health Center. Holyoke, MA) Johnny Franchio, CPS (Recovery Coach, Riverside CBHC Norwood. Norwood, MA) Summary: This workshop is designed for individuals and organizations looking to establish a recovery group to support those overcoming addiction. Participants will learn the foundational steps for creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for recovery. This interactive session will include working examples and group discussions to help participants leave with a clear roadmap for starting their recovery group. Whether you are a peer, counselor, or concerned individual, this workshop will empower you to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Led by: Paul Alves, RCPF, CARC, NCPRSS (Executive Director, Choice Recovery Coaching. Springfield, MA) Summary: Though great work has been done to make more recovery pathways accessible, established pathways do not always embrace the full range of cultures, identities, and life experiences that people bring with them on their journey. The Infinite Pathways of Recovery concept does not start with a menu, but rather with an individual’s unique needs and strengths that they bring with them from their various experiences, identities, and cultures. We can help them build a tapestry of supports specific to them, creating a flexible, strong pathway that is as unique as they are and can grow and change with them as they progress throughout their recovery. This workshop will address how we can help individuals discover how their personal culture and strengths provide a foundation to build from to amplify their wellness, foster self-efficacy, and sustain their recovery wellness long-term.

Speaker: Alexander Walley, MD, MSc (Professor of Medicine, Boston University Chosbanian and Avesdisian School of Medicine, Primary Care Physician and Addiction Specialist, Boston Medical Center. Boston, MA. )

Panelists: Joy Rucker (Co-Founder, Black Harm Reduction Network) Pedro Alvarez (Director of Harm Reduction Operations, Tapestry Health. Springfield, MA.) Erika Hensel, CHW (Project Manager for Opioid Response, Attorney General’s Office) Stephen Murray, MPH, NRP (Harm Reduction Program Manager, Director, SafeSpot Overdose Hotline, Boston Medical Center. Boston, MA. )

Use this time to connect with others!

Led by: Trina Johnson, PhD, MSc (Research Scientist, Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center. Boston, MA.) Joy Rucker (Co-Founder, Black Harm Reduction Network) Dallas Clark (Founder and Director, Cultivating Better Minds Inc. Springfield, MA.) Shanna Person-Johnson (Human Services, Boston, MA.) Summary: As the national rate of overdose decreases in 2024, there is increasing awareness and acknowledgement that Black people in the United States still face a disparity in overdose mortality, an ongoing crisis that urgently needs attention. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) describes harm reduction as an evidence-based approach that is critical to engaging with people who use drugs and equipping them with life-saving tools. Unfortunately, many of the existing life-saving tools do not make it into the hands of Black people who use substances. The National Harm Reduction Coalition defines Harm Reduction as a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. What strategies and ideas work best for minimizing harm for Black people? This workshop will focus on creating harm reduction approaches that are responsive to the needs of Black communities.

Led by: Traci Green, PhD, MSc (Professor, Director, Opioid Policy Research Collaborative, Brandeis University. Waltham, MA.) Joe Silcox, PhD, MA (Research Associate II, Project Manager, Opioid Policy Research Collaborative. Boston, MA.) Abby Edelmann (Research Assistant, Drug Checking Technician, Opioid Policy Research Collaborative. Revere, MA.) Charlie Summers (Graduate Research Assistant, Opioid Research Collaborative. Milford, MA.) Ivy Sabal (Research Assistant, Drug Checking Technician, Opioid Policy Research Collaborative. Northampton, MA.) Jamie Davis (Community Engagement and Harm Reduction Program Manager, Opioid Policy Research Collaborative. Chesterfield, MA.) Summary: Wondering if drug checking services are something you want to offer or talk to patients or clients about? In this session, we will overview what drug checking services are, how they legally operate in Massachusetts, and what to expect when engaging in drug checking or referring people to the services. Interactive elements will include hands-on and demo drug checking as well as orientation to drug checking information and data on StreetCheck.org to understand trends in your community. Come discuss and exchange about how these services and information could be useful to you and your community in staying safe.

Led by: Jen Tracey, MSW (Chief Program Officer, RIZE Massachusetts Foundation) Avik Chatterjee, MD, MPH (Primary Care and Addiction Medicine Physician, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless, Boston Medical Center) Tom Regan, MPH (Coordinated Entry System Manager, King County Regional Homelessness Authority. Seattle, WA.) Nicole Bell (Founder, Living in Freedom Together; Program Director, Her House) Gregory Grays-Thomas (Director of the Homeless Services Bureau, Boston Public Health Commission) Summary: Join RIZE Massachusetts Foundation for a panel discussion of “Harm Reduction in Shelter Settings: Current Practices and Future Opportunities.” Recently, RIZE partnered with the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center to study harm reduction strategies in four shelters across Massachusetts. This study informed a toolkit of harm reduction strategies that shelters can implement to better serve people who use drugs. RIZE hosted a webinar in October 2024 to release the findings of the study and engage a panel of shelter experts in discussion of the toolkit's recommendations. The session will begin with an overview of the harm reduction strategies featured in the toolkit by the study's investigators, Avik Chatterjee, MD, of Boston Medical Center and Thomas Regan of King County Regional Homelessness Authority. RIZE Chief Program Officer, Jen Tracey, will then engage our panel of experts — Desiree Demos of the EVA Center, and Gregory Grays-Thomas of the Boston Public Health Commission — in a discussion of case studies of real-life scenarios integrating harm reduction strategies in shelter settings. The audience will then be invited to engage with the speakers about next steps for implementation of harm reduction in shelters and advocacy strategies to promote harm reduction in shelters at the policy level.

Led by: Mark Jachym (Medical Respite Program Manager, Harm Reduction Coordinator, Friends of the Homeless. Northampton, MA) William Soares III, MD, MS (Director of Harm Reduction Services, Department of Harm Reduction Services, Baystate Medical Center. Springfield, MA) Maria Quinn, MSN, PMHNP-BC (Director, Addiction Treatment and Recovery Support, Holyoke Medical Center) Alisha Kumar, MS (Community Outreach Liaison, Springfield CTC) Nico Alicea (Western MA. Regional Coordinator, Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery [MOAR])

Led by: Randi Sokol, MD, MPH, MMedEd (Program Director, Tufts Addiction Medicine Fellowship at Cambridge Health Alliance, Director of Faculty Development and Pain/Addiction Curriculum. Cambridge, MA. ) This workshop will distill the “nuts and bolts” of starting group visits for opioid use disorder and the value they offer to patients, providers, and clinics. Those who attend will learn what key ingredients are involved to making group visits effective — and fun — and also learn what ingredients are mare malleable and can be adapted to your local culture and resources. Our experience running group visits for the past 10+ years has allowed us to see large numbers of patients, which has increased access for both patients and providers. Patients love the peer-to-peer support, and providers love the team-based collaborative approach to care. We look forward to sharing our pearls of wisdom with you.

Moderator: Oami Amarasingham, Esq. (Deputy Director, Massachusetts Public Health Association) Panelists: Pedro Alvarez (Director of Harm Reduction Operations, Tapestry Health. Springfield, MA.) Claire Hoffman, MPH (Senior Public Health Planner, Metropolitan Area Planning Council) Ashley Perry (Deputy Director/OPC Co-Director, Project Weber/RENEW) Summary: Panelists will shed light on the legal landscape and practical considerations involved in implementing supervised drug consumption and other overdose prevention and harm reduction strategies in Massachusetts. Panelists will discuss harm reduction in the context of the current federal and state climate, touching on health equity, the health impacts of the criminal legal system, and existing and proposed harm reduction policies.

Led by: Charmaine Lastimoso, MSN, MPH, NP-C, CARN-AP (Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Boston, MA. ) Calla Harrington, LICSW (Behavioral Health Network. Greenfield, MA) Amanda Tower (Grant Project Coordinator, MassAbility. Boston, MA) Summary: We plan to engage learners around the often invisible and misunderstood challenges that our patients face when struggling with the impacts of acquired brain injury and working on their substance use recovery. The workshop will address why it is important to acknowledge, screen, and accommodate for these challenges through a lens of Ableism. Together, we will take a multidisciplinary and systematic view to formulate methods for improving the care we provide for our patients.