[OMHAS-PIT] Weekly Posting

Tue Dec 23 14:44:13 PST 2003

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This Week's Articles
Core Functions of Addictions Counseling
Hallucinogens, Inhallants and Other Drugs Netcast 
ACCBO Continuing Education Calender
Prevention and the Primal Teen
Prevention Tips and Helpful Materials
Oregon Quit Line Officially Reopens
Alcohol Screening Materials Available for Clinicians
Project Alert Helps High Risk Teens

Training
Core Functions of Addictions Counseling

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 on-line course on the core
functions of addictions counseling. The discussion material and information
will be given via a class WWW page, with more in depth on-line information
found through links to other sites. 

Every day, countless lives are enriched or saved because of the work carried
out by addiction counselors. In a myriad of settings, competent, well-trained
counselors form the relationships and carry out the strategies that help their
clients move from life-threatening addiction to life-affirming recovery. 

We can state with certainty that thousands of addiction counselors accomplish
their missions with distinction. We also know, however, that even specialists
in the addictions field have not traditionally been able to define with
clarity the professional standards that should guide their work. What is the
scope of practice that is appropriate for an addiction counselor? What are the
competencies that are most likely to be associated with positive outcomes?
What knowledge, skills, and attitudes should be shared by all members of the
addiction counseling profession? The central purpose of this course is to
address those questions. 

This course will be taught by Kevin Scheel, MS, MAC, LMFT, Director of
Educational Services for Distance Learning Center for Addiction Studies (
www.dlcas.com <http://www.dlcas.com/> ).   Mr. Scheel has more than 25
years of experience in the chemical dependency field and has been an
instructor/trainer for the past 15 years.  He has a Master's of Science in
Counseling and Guidance with specialization in Addiction Treatment from the
University of Nebraska.  

This course will begin on January 26, 2004.  The total cost of this course is
$40.00 (US).  Refund requests will be honored until the posting of the second
lesson (February 4, 2004), 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 course "Core Functions of Addictions
Counseling" registration page, please go to the following WWW site and read
the Official Course Announcement.
http://www.attc-ne.org/courses/165/ann.html 
The Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England is funded by the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for
Substance Abuse Treatment (CSA

Hallucinogen', Inhalants and other Drugs - Netcast
Frank Munson is scheduled to teach session #2578_10731, NetCast:
Hallucinogens, Inhalants and Other Drugs on Monday January 5, 2004 at NetCast
Training Site, Delivered via Internet, NetCast Site OR 97305. 2.5 ACCBO
approved CEU's --FREE--
To Register go to http://dhstraining.hr.state.or.us 
For materials go to:http://170.104.92.13/TrainingMaterials 
For help getting computer set up go to:
http://www.dhs.state.or.us/training/tools/NetCast_Setup.htm
Still having problems: Call Frank Munson 503 945-9739
There are 13 slots for this session and 4 persons have registered for this
class.

ACCBO Continuing Education Calendar Presents:
Addiction Pharmacology

Date:   January 28, 2004 
Time:   not mentioned
Cost:   $195 (includes $40 textbook at additional charge)
CEU's:  20 CEH
Location:  Portland
Contact:   www.daystared.com   503-234-1215
Instructor: Nikki Johnson, M.A., CPS
                     Eric Martin, M.A., CADC III, NCAC

Prevention
Prevention and the Primal Teen  
By Pam Tindall, CPS, Coordinator
Edited by Ken Smith MPH., Senior Coordinator 

In her book, The Primal Teen (2003), Barbara Strauch synthesizes and presents
findings from dozens of scientific studies suggesting that the teenage brain,
previously thought to be largely complete in its development, undergoes a
dramatic transformation, involving structural, functional, biochemical, and
hormonal changes, similar in scope to prenatal and early childhood brain
development. Such changes have implications for substance abuse prevention,
parenting, and education.  

Researchers have demonstrated, through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and
functional MRI, that adolescent brains undergo a massive remodeling of basic
structure in areas which affect logic, memory, language, impulses,
discrimination, and intuition. Development in the brain's prefrontal cortex,
associated with impulse control, consequences, context, and judgment, does not
reach full development until well past age 20. 

Complex biochemical changes in the adolescent brain actually bias teenagers
toward risk taking. Drug-taking has become one of the most common forms of
risk-taking by teenagers in American culture, and addicting drugs such as
nicotine, alcohol, amphetamines, and marijuana all increase dopamine in the
reward centers in the brain which further increases sensitivity to reward and
risk taking. 

Hormonal changes in the adolescent brain influence emotion, cognition, memory,
and behavior, and behavior has been shown to influence hormone levels in a
complex feedback loop. 

Strauch (2003) says a growing body of evidence suggests that as the teenage
brain is reconfigured, it remains more exposed, more easily wounded more
susceptible to critical and long-lasting damage, making adolescence the worst
time to expose a brain to drugs and alcohol, or even a steady dose of violent
video games.  
She notes that adolescent brains have long been thought of as more resilient,
even after a good sousing of alcohol. Now, however, there are strong hints
that this may not be the case (Strauch, 2003). MRI and functional MRI of
weekly and binge alcohol-drinking teen brains show delays in synapse
resuscitation, damage to brain cells, impaired memory and cognition, and less
overall brain activity. The impact was seen years later, after they'd stopped
drinking (Strauch, 2003).  
Strauch (2003) points out that damage to the adolescent brain from nicotine,
in many ways, mirrors that from alcohol. Additionally it suppresses the immune
system and may make adolescents more susceptible to depression and anxiety. 
In light of these profound changes in adolescent brains, Strauch (2003)
reports that researchers offer a number of recommendations: 
planning for prosocial risk-taking behavior; 
lessening anxiety over grades and standardized test scores; 
supporting physical education, music, and the arts in schools; 
providing more support from adults at home and in communities; 
applying knowledge about multiple intelligences; and 
giving teenagers a wider definition of what success at this age means by
providing more varied internships, work experience and job training. 
Reference: Strauch, Barbara. (2003). The Primal Teen. New York: Doubleday.

Prevention Tips & Helpful Matterials
1.  TheAntidrug.com web site features science-based materials for faith
leaders. These activities are designed to help faith leaders in their efforts
to guiding youth toward wise decisions and a healthy, drug-free life. The
activities are geared towards elementary aged children to adults.  To download
your copy of these activities, visit www.theantidrug.com/faith/activities.html

2.  The Community Tool Box (http://ctb.ku.edu/) provides over 6,000 pages of
practical information to support your work in promoting community health and
development. This website is created and maintained by the Work Group on
Health Promotion and Community Development at the University of Kansas in
Lawrence, Kansas (U.S.A). Developed in collaboration with AHEC/Community
Partners in Amherst, Massachusetts, the site has been on line since 1995, and
it continues to grow on a weekly basis.

The core of the Tool Box is the "topic sections" that include practical
guidance for the different tasks necessary to promote community health and
development. For instance, there are sections on leadership, strategic
planning, community assessment, grant writing, and evaluation to give just a
few examples. Each section includes a description of the task, advantages of
doing it, step-by-step guidelines, examples, checklists of points to review,
and training materials.

3.  For those of you who create PowerPoint presentations, you may find the
following website page on "PowerPointless" useful: 
http://www.fno.org/sept00/powerpoints.html.  It contains tips on "Antidotes
for PowerPoint Poisoning."  

4.  Visit http://www.grants.gov, for a single, comprehensive website that will
contain information about finding and applying for all federal grant programs.
The website makes it easier for organizations to learn about and apply for
federal grants. Its launch marks an important milestone in President Bush's
Electronic Government (E-Gov) Initiative.

5.  Listed below are a series of National Electronic Seminars offered by OJJDP
(Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). For registration
information, please visit www.udetc.org <http://www.udetc.org> . All programs
provide opportunities for presentation, discussion, and sharing information.
Telephone dial-in instructions and accompanying materials will be mailed to
registrants two weeks before the audio conference. You may also register by
phone, dial 1-877-335-1287 extension 230.

Feb. 24, 2004   3:00-4:15 ET   Alcohol Advertising: Is What You See, What You
Get?
April 27, 2004  3:00-4:15 ET    The Rise and Fall of Togas and Keggers:
Interventions that Work
May 18, 2004   3:00-4:15 ET    Out of Control: The Link between Alcohol and
Riots
July 27, 2004   3:00-4:15 ET     Alcohol Excise Tax
1.  TheAntidrug.com web site features science-based materials for faith
leaders. These activities are designed to help faith leaders in their efforts
to guiding youth toward wise decisions and a healthy, drug-free life. The
activities are geared towards elementary aged children to adults.  To download
your copy of these activities, visit www.theantidrug.com/faith/activities.html

2.  The Community Tool Box (http://ctb.ku.edu/) provides over 6,000 pages of
practical information to support your work in promoting community health and
development. This website is created and maintained by the Work Group on
Health Promotion and Community Development at the University of Kansas in
Lawrence, Kansas (U.S.A). Developed in collaboration with AHEC/Community
Partners in Amherst, Massachusetts, the site has been on line since 1995, and
it continues to grow on a weekly basis.

The core of the Tool Box is the "topic sections" that include practical
guidance for the different tasks necessary to promote community health and
development. For instance, there are sections on leadership, strategic
planning, community assessment, grant writing, and evaluation to give just a
few examples. Each section includes a description of the task, advantages of
doing it, step-by-step guidelines, examples, checklists of points to review,
and training materials.

3.  For those of you who create PowerPoint presentations, you may find the
following website page on "PowerPointless" useful: 
http://www.fno.org/sept00/powerpoints.html.  It contains tips on "Antidotes
for PowerPoint Poisoning."  

4.  Visit http://www.grants.gov, for a single, comprehensive website that will
contain information about finding and applying for all federal grant programs.
The website makes it easier for organizations to learn about and apply for
federal grants. Its launch marks an important milestone in President Bush's
Electronic Government (E-Gov) Initiative.

5.  Listed below are a series of National Electronic Seminars offered by OJJDP
(Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). For registration
information, please visit www.udetc.org <http://www.udetc.org> . All programs
provide opportunities for presentation, discussion, and sharing information.
Telephone dial-in instructions and accompanying materials will be mailed to
registrants two weeks before the audio conference. You may also register by
phone, dial 1-877-335-1287 extension 230.

Feb. 24, 2004   3:00-4:15 ET   Alcohol Advertising: Is What You See, What You
Get?
April 27, 2004  3:00-4:15 ET    The Rise and Fall of Togas and Keggers:
Interventions that Work
May 18, 2004   3:00-4:15 ET    Out of Control: The Link between Alcohol and
Riots
July 27, 2004   3:00-4:15 ET     Alcohol Excise Tax

The Oregon Quit Line officially reopens December 16th, 2003.

The Oregon Quit Line provides high quality services to Oregonians who want to
quit using tobacco.Your help in letting people know about this service is
greatly appreciated.  

About twice as many OHP clients smoke as compared to other Oregonians.  If OHP
clients who smoke are interested in quitting, please encourage them to call
this line to receive FREE assistance to help them quit.  Also let health care
providers know they can refer their patients to this great FREE service.

The numbers to call are:

1-877-270-STOP (7867)

1-877-2NO FUME (Spanish)

Alcohol Screening Materials Available for Clinicians
<http://www.cadca.org/CoalitionsOnline/article.asp?id=224> 
The 2004 National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD) has a kit available
entitled Alcohol and Your Health: Where Do You Draw the Line? The kit
addresses the full range of alcohol use disorders, from at-risk drinking
to dependence, and offers providers the chance to educate patients about
alcohols impact on health. Included in the kit are the video Alcohol and
Your Health: Where Do You Draw the Line? and educational materials for
clinicians, including the newly released NIAAA/NIH guide, Helping
Patients with Alcohol Problems: A Health Practitioners Guide. [ Read
more <http://www.cadca.org/CoalitionsOnline/article.asp?id=224> ]

Northwest CAPT's FAQ's Now Online

Name: Resources addressing substance abuse and mental health disorders
Category: National Prevention Resources and Policies Link:
http://www.northeastcapt.org/PRODUCTS/faq/faq84.html 
Question: What does research say about the relationship between Mental Health
and Substance Abuse? 

Name: Identifying existing surveys 
Category: National Prevention Resources and Policies
Link: http://www.northeastcapt.org/PRODUCTS/faq/faq83.html 
Question: I often hear people talk about youth with co-occurring substance
abuse and mental health disorders. Where can I find information about this
issue, its prevention, and its treatment? 

Gifts In Kind International Nonprofit organizations worldwide are invited to
register with Gifts In Kind International to receive donations of top-quality
software, computers, office equipment and supplies; donations of newly
manufactured personal care products, youth and educational materials, building
supplies, household items, clothing and other products; and to save on
computer equipment, office supplies and technology training offered through
special pricing programs. 
http://www.giftsinkind.org 

Conferences and Events 
For a schedule of CSAP's Northeast CAPT Trainings and National and Regional
Events, http://www.northeastcapt.org/calendar/index.html 
<http://www.northeastcapt.org/calendar/index.html> 

Project ALERT Helps Even High-Risk Teens
Critics have argued that school based drug prevention efforts have failed to
help high-risk adolescents. But a new study has shown that the RAND-developed
Project ALERT program successfully curbs the use of alcohol, cigarettes, and
marijuana among middle-school students - even high-risk youth who have already
started smoking and drinking by the seventh grade.
The results are based on a randomized, controlled study of the effectiveness
of Project ALERT in 55 middle schools in South Dakota from 1997 to 1999.
Nationwide, the program reaches more than 1 million adolescents in all 50
states.
Compared with control students, Project ALERT students reduced their use of
cigarettes, marijuana, and alcohol. The program was especially successful with
the highest-risk early drinkers, substantially reducing their likelihood of
engaging in risky forms of alcohol use (such as binge drinking) or of
experiencing other problems from drinking. The program also helped keep those
who had experimented with cigarettes from making the transition to regular
smoking.
"These early smokers and drinkers have substantially elevated risks for
increased drug use and a variety of other high-risk behaviors such as
violence, unsafe sex, and dropping out of school," said lead author Phyllis
Ellickson. 
"These are precisely the youth who need help the most. Curbing alcohol and
cigarette use among these high-risk youth when they are in middle school may
help prevent the emergence of more serious problems later on."

RAND REVIEW HOME PAGE 
http://www.rand.org/publications/randreview/ 

FALL 2003, VOL. 27. NO. 3 
http://www.rand.org/publications/randreview/issues/fall2003/ 

DHS/OMHAS
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year       : >)

Frank E.  Munson
Omhas Training and Resource Center
P O Box 14250
2575 Bittern St NE
Salem, Or 97309
(503)  945-9739