2022 Texas Substance Use Symposium (TxSUS)

TxSUS Day I

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TxSUS - Check In - Front Desk Information - Program Map

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In-Person • Check-in

 

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In-person attendees can pick up their namebadge, bag and program in the registration area just outside the Corpus Christi Ballroom. 

 

The first sessions will be in Corpus Christi Ballroom A.

 

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 08:00 AM - 12:00 PM

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TxSUS Day I: Welcome and Opening Remarks - Broadcast

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Welcome and Opening Remarks

 

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Honorable Barbara A. Canales

Nueces County Commissioners Court Judge

 

Barbara Canales was elected Nueces County Judge on November 6, 2018. She was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas. Barbara was valedictorian of the W. B. Ray High School graduating class of 1984. She was offered a Presidential Scholarship Award to attend the University of Texas (UT). She earned a degree in Petroleum Engineering from U.T. in 1989. Barbara went to the University of Houston School of Law and earned her Juris Doctorate degree in 1992. From 1992 to 2004, Barbara was co-owner of an independent oil and gas exploration and production company active in the development of natural gas reserves in South Texas. In 2004, she formed her own exploration and production company, Canales Exploration LLC; and later became a partner in the real estate investment firm Mother Ocean LLC. Barbara also maintained an active law practice in Corpus Christi until her 2018 election to become Nueces County Judge. Barbara served as the Nueces County appointee to the Port of Corpus Christi Commission for three terms. She was an officer of the Port Commission when she resigned from that position after taking office as Nueces County Judge on January 1, 2019. Barbara is the mother of five adult children - Caroline, David, Natalie, Daniel and Jacqueline. She has a long history of civic and community engagement in Nueces County.

 

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Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH

Vice President for Research, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UT Health San Antonio

 

Jennifer Sharpe Potter, Ph.D., M.P.H., is Vice President for Research and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio (UTHSA). Dr. Potter is a national expert in substance use disorders with particular emphasis on increasing access to evident-based treatment for opioid and other substance use disorders. Dr. Potter’s NIH-funded research focuses on the design and conduct of behavioral and pharmacological treatments for substance use disorder with a recent emphasis on technology-based treatments for opioids and stimulants. Dr. Potter is a Principal Investigator with the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network (CTN). Dr. Potter is funded by Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) to oversee several statewide public health initiatives to increase access to substance use disorder treatment for Texans including providing additional support for people seeking help for problematic substance use and substance use disorder as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other state-funded programs include a statewide outpatient opioid use disorder provider treatment network, a statewide peer recovery support network, establish a statewide virtual clinic to provide care in underserved areas, implementing hospital-based addiction treatment initiation, and a training and telementoring program for health care providers treating opioid use disorder. Prior to joining UTHSA, Dr. Potter was with Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, and received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia and her Master of Public Health from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. 

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Date: 03/24/22

Time: 08:30 AM - 08:45 AM

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TxSUS Opening Panel: Communities Collaborating for Positive Change - Broadcast

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Opening Panel: Communities Collaborating for Positive Change

 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the current ‘state of the state’ (i.e., state of the substance use disorder and overdose epidemic in the state of Texas).
• Explain the benefits of large-scale, systems-level collaborative efforts versus localized or individualized initiatives.
• Compare and contrast different approaches for cross-community or statewide collaborations.
• Forge new collaborative efforts via networking opportunities at this session and the conference at large.

 

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Hildebrando Mireles III, LPC-S, PhD Candidate

Director of Substance Use Services, Tropical Texas Behavioral Health

 

Hildebrando “Brando” Mireles III is a native of Eagle Pass, Texas but also considers Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley home.  In 2003 he received a dual Batchelor Degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi.  In 2007 He received his 1^st master’s degree in clinical psychology from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi.  He then received his 2^nd master’s degree in media psychology in January of 2020 from Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara California.  He is currently a PhD candidate for the school of Psychology with an emphasis on organizational development and media psychology.  His dissertation will focus on the use of virtual reality technology as a learning tool to research learned prosocial behavior. He is the current President of the Texas Association of Addictions Professionals – Rio Grande Valley Chapter – “VAAP.”  He is also a member of the Texas Council Substance Abuse – Special Interest Group and has recently accepted the first-ever Substance Abuse Chair to serve as an extension of the Executive Directors Consortium and Texas Council of Community Centers, Inc.       

Brando has been an employee of Tropical Texas Behavioral Health since 2012 – and going on 10 years of loyal service.  At Tropical, Brando has served as the ACT Team supervisor and associate psychologist, behavioral health adult and youth services program manager and now the Director of SUDS Services including: OSAR Texas Region 11, The Texas Targeted Opioid Response, Medication Assisted Treatment, Outpatient Services for Adults and Youth, Residential Care Services, and Inpatient Detox.  

Disclosure: Mr. Mireles has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Alicia Kowalchuk, DO, FASAM

Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine

 

Alicia Kowalchuk, DO, FASAM is an associate professor with Baylor College of Medicine’s Department of Family and Community Medicine and board certified in both family and addiction medicine. She is medical director of InSight, the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) program for the Harris Health System, the safety-net healthcare system for the greater Houston area.  Dr. Kowalchuk serves as medical director at both Santa Maria Hostel, the largest state-funded residential SUD treatment program for women in Texas, and the Houston Recovery Center, which operates a sobering center in partnership with the City of Houston.  Current and past grant-funded research and programs include increasing treatment access through increasing the number of providers with buprenorphine waivers and facilitating MOUD implementation in practice, integrating proper opiate prescribing and buprenorphine waiver training curriculum into health professions education, SBIRT training of primary care trainees, and substance-exposed pregnancy prevention interventions.  She has received funding from the CDC, NIAAA, NIDA and SAMHSA, and has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals.  In 2016, Dr. Kowalchuk signed the first state-wide standing order for naloxone in Texas.  Her passion is caring for families affected by addiction and educating other healthcare professionals and trainees about effectively delivering that care.

Disclosure: Dr. Kowalchuk has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Aaron Ferguson 

Regional Impact Manager, Community Medical Services 

 

Aaron is a Regional Impact Manager with Community Medical Services, a national harm reduction provider of medications for people with opioid use disorder. As a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Aaron has worked for the last ten years with people diagnosed with substance use disorders. Aaron is also on the leadership team of the Urban Survivor’s Union, a national group of directly impacted drug user health advocates. As a Coach for the Life Process Program, Aaron continues to coach individuals to overcome addictive disorders. Aaron works tirelessly to educate and help communities accept the evidence for harm reduction and strives to help bring about a revolution to begin seeing people who use alcohol and other drugs as humans, rather than immoral or diseased subjects. Aaron is focused on the science of belief revision and science acceptance or denial. As a hobby, Aaron produces a long-standing harm reduction show about drugs and the people who use them called, “Narcotica” and has co-produced “The Social Exchange with Zach Rhodes” spotlighting important topics related to harm reduction. Aaron is a happily married father who encourages skepticism, reason, and science as the paths to enlightenment and a good life. When Aaron is not working, he enjoys running marathons, producing music, breakdancing, scuba diving, reading everything in sight and most of all spending quality time with his wife and two kids.  

Disclosure: Mr Ferguson has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA, MA
Postdoctoral Fellow, Miriam Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Associate Faculty, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Blumberg School of Public Affairs

Research Fellow, Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association, & Executive Fellow, National Police Foundation

 

Brandon del Pozo spent 23 years in policing: 19 in the NYPD, where he started his career on the beat in Brooklyn and went on to command two patrol precincts, and four as the chief of police of Burlington, Vermont, where he led the city’s public health response to the opioid crisis. Since completing his PhD in 2020, he is now a postdoctoral researcher on the consequences of substance use at Rhode Island's Miriam Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. His research interests include systems-level approaches to delivering substance use treatment services through linkages in police settings, and aligning effective responses to substance use and overdose with police occupational safety and crime reduction strategies.

Disclosure: Dr. del Pozo has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Moderator:  Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH

Vice President for Research, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UT Health San Antonio

 

Jennifer Sharpe Potter, Ph.D., M.P.H., is Vice President for Research and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio (UTHSA). Dr. Potter is a national expert in substance use disorders with particular emphasis on increasing access to evident-based treatment for opioid and other substance use disorders. Dr. Potter’s NIH-funded research focuses on the design and conduct of behavioral and pharmacological treatments for substance use disorder with a recent emphasis on technology-based treatments for opioids and stimulants. Dr. Potter is a Principal Investigator with the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network (CTN). Dr. Potter is funded by Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) to oversee several statewide public health initiatives to increase access to substance use disorder treatment for Texans including providing additional support for people seeking help for problematic substance use and substance use disorder as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other state-funded programs include a statewide outpatient opioid use disorder provider treatment network, a statewide peer recovery support network, establish a statewide virtual clinic to provide care in underserved areas, implementing hospital-based addiction treatment initiation, and a training and telementoring program for health care providers treating opioid use disorder. Prior to joining UTHSA, Dr. Potter was with Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, and received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia and her Master of Public Health from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. 

Disclosure: Dr. Potter has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-002-L04-P/T

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 08:45 AM - 10:00 AM

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PLENARY I: Texas Perspective on Public Health and Evidence-Based Approach for Improving the Substance Use Treatment Ecosystem - VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE

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Plenary I: Texas Perspective on Public Health and Evidence-Based Approach for Improving the Substance Use Treatment Ecosystem

 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the value of public health and public safety in addressing substance use in Texas
• List at least three models or approaches to providing substance use treatment to vulnerable populations such as the uninsured/underinsured, homeless, and/or justice involved. 
• Apply strategies or principles that help foster cross-sector partnerships for the improvement of the treatment ecosystem in Texas

 

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Crystal Walker, DMSc, PA-C
Director of Substance Use Disorders Clinical Services

MHMR of Tarrant County

 

Dr. Walker practices medicine as a Physician Assistant in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the Director of Substance Use Disorders Clinical Services for My Health My Resources (MHMR) of Tarrant County. She obtained her Doctor of Medical Science from the University of Lynchburg, her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, and her Bachelor of Science from Stephen F. Austin State University. Her career as a PA has been dedicated to the underserved and indigent populations, including providing primary care of individuals in the Tarrant County Jail, the John Peter Smith homeless clinic, and substance use treatment centers. She is also an Adjunct Clinical Instructor for the University of North Texas Health Science Center PA Studies program. In 2018, she was the recipient of the NIDA Mentored Outreach Award in Substance Use Disorders Treatment Dissemination. She is also active with the TxMOUD, Project Echo, and Get Waivered Texas projects.

Disclosure: Ms.Walker has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-003-L04-P/T

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

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Break & Exhibitors

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Break • Corpus Christi Ballroom C

 

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In-Person attendees join us for a refereshment break in Corpus Christ Ballroom C

 

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 11:00 AM - 11:15 AM

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PLENARY II: Innovation and Reform in Substance Use, Law Enforcement, and Policing - VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE

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Plenary II: Innovation and Reform in Substance Use, Law Enforcement, and Policing

 

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the role of medications for opioid use disorder in substance use disorder treatment and overdose reduction
• Describe the role of medications for opioid use disorder in reducing crime and recidivism
• Situate deflection and diversion to treatment and harm reduction services in the continuum of police response to opioid use disorder, its sequelae, and associated criminal behavior
• Develop strategies that integrate officer occupational safety, crime reduction, and diversion to treatment/harm reduction for people with opioid use disorder as a comprehensive, aligned approach to these concerns

 

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Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA, MA
Postdoctoral Fellow, Miriam Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Associate Faculty, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Blumberg School of Public Affairs

Research Fellow, Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association, & Executive Fellow, National Police Foundation

 

Brandon del Pozo spent 23 years in policing: 19 in the NYPD, where he started his career on the beat in Brooklyn and went on to command two patrol precincts, and four as the chief of police of Burlington, Vermont, where he led the city’s public health response to the opioid crisis. Since completing his PhD in 2020, he is now a postdoctoral researcher on the consequences of substance use at Rhode Island's Miriam Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. His research interests include systems-level approaches to delivering substance use treatment services through linkages in police settings, and aligning effective responses to substance use and overdose with police occupational safety and crime reduction strategies.

Disclosure: Dr. del Pozo has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-004-L04-P/T

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM

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Networking Lunch Break & Exhibitors

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Lunch • Corpus Christi Ballroom C

 

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In-Person attendees can pick up a quick lunch and visit exhibitors in Corpus Christ Ballroom C

 

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 12:15 PM - 01:15 PM

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• CONCURRENT SESSIONS • Hands On Workshops (HOWs) - Agenda and Room Locations

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Concurrent Sessions • Hands On Workshops (HOWs)

 

See tabs below for the concurrent Hands On Workshops

 

NOTE Some Workshops are 1.5 hours, some are 3 hours, the entire workshop period. See times and locations below:

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Date: 03/24/22

Time: 01:15 PM - 04:30 PM

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-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP 1: Alcohol Use Disorder [1.5 hours]

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HANDS ON WORKSHOP: Alcohol Use Disorder Corpus Christi Ballroom A&B

 

Learning Objectives:

• Review available medications to treat alcohol use disorder.
• Examine impact of alcohol on sleep and describe options to address insomnia.
• Discuss how to approach individuals suffering from depression and alcohol use disorder concurrently.

 

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Jennifer Papac, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor, UT Health San Antonio

 

Dr. Jennifer Papac is a Clinical Assistant Professor at UT Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). Originally from Northern California, she graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a bachelor’s in molecular and cellular biology and received her medical degree from the University of California Davis. She completed general psychiatry residency at Stanford University followed by a fellowship in addiction psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Her clinical interests include medical education, psychopharmacology, and reducing barriers to treat substance use disorders. As faculty at UTHSCSA, she spends her time treating individuals with substance use disorders and supervising both medical students and residents in the department of psychiatry. Additionally, she is the associate medical director of Be Well Texas, a virtual clinic that provides substance use and mental health treatment to those living in the state of Texas.

Disclosure: Dr. Papac has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Alicia Kowalchuk, DO, FASAM

Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine

 

Alicia Kowalchuk, DO, FASAM is an associate professor with Baylor College of Medicine’s Department of Family and Community Medicine and board certified in both family and addiction medicine. She is medical director of InSight, the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) program for the Harris Health System, the safety-net healthcare system for the greater Houston area.  Dr. Kowalchuk serves as medical director at both Santa Maria Hostel, the largest state-funded residential SUD treatment program for women in Texas, and the Houston Recovery Center, which operates a sobering center in partnership with the City of Houston.  Current and past grant-funded research and programs include increasing treatment access through increasing the number of providers with buprenorphine waivers and facilitating MOUD implementation in practice, integrating proper opiate prescribing and buprenorphine waiver training curriculum into health professions education, SBIRT training of primary care trainees, and substance-exposed pregnancy prevention interventions.  She has received funding from the CDC, NIAAA, NIDA and SAMHSA, and has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals.  In 2016, Dr. Kowalchuk signed the first state-wide standing order for naloxone in Texas.  Her passion is caring for families affected by addiction and educating other healthcare professionals and trainees about effectively delivering that care.

Disclosure: Dr. Kowalchuk has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-005-L04-P/T

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 01:15 PM - 02:45 PM

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-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP 2: Leveraging Health Information to Abate the Overdose Crisis [1.5 hours]

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HANDS ON WORKSHOP: Leveraging Health Information to Abate the Overdose Crisis Nueces Ballroom B

 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe why technology has fallen short in abating the overdose crisis and how we can harness technology to reduce risk and improve outcomes
• Identify evidence-based technology solutions to implement into clinical practice and hospital setting for overdose risk and prevention

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Kasey Claborn, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work

 

Kasey Claborn, PhD is a research scientist and clinical psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the Director for the Addictions Research Institute. Dr. Claborn received her Ph.D from Oklahoma State University and postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University’s Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. Her work focuses on identifying gaps in the healthcare system and strategies to use technology to improve the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders. Dr. Claborn has received over $10 million in extramural funding for her work from the National Institute of Health, SAMHSA, Health Resources and Services Administration, Google, and Texas Health and Human Services. She has received numerous awards for her innovative work in technology and addiction science, including being the recipient of a Google Cloud Services Award for building technology for social impact.

Disclosure: Dr. Claborn has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-010-L04-P/T

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 01:15 PM - 02:45 PM

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-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP 3: Peer Recovery Support Services Master Class [3 hours]

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HANDS ON WORKSHOP:  Peer Recovery Support Services Master Class Aransas Room

 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe peer recovery support services are and how they are being implemented in the state of Texas
• Implement one example of how peer recovery support services providers can remove barriers and increase access to services
• Discuss knowledge of at least one strategy for assertive engagement or community outreach

 

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Jose N. Flores, BAAS, LCDC, CCJP, RSPS-I, CHW

Texas Targeted Opioid Response-Recovery Support Services Lead, Behavioral Health Services, Medical & Social Services Division, Texas Health & Human Services Commission

 

Jose Flores spent almost 13 years incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, for burglary, robbery and substance related charges. Jose spent 8 of those years in solitary confinement and was released in January 2012. Jose currently works with the State of Texas in addressing the opioid epidemic and assuring that those individuals with opioid use disorder receive prevention, treatment, and recovery support services. He is a strong advocate for individuals living with substance use and mental health disorders and conveys his own lived experience to any environment, in order to break the stigma of the formerly incarcerated. Jose is also a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and has held past certifications as a Certified Criminal Justice Addictions Professional, Recovery Support Peer Specialist, and Community Health Worker. Jose is a graduate of the San Antonio College where he earned an Associates of Applied Sciences in Human Services w/ a Specialization in Addictions Counseling, as well as, The University of Texas A&M-San Antonio, where he earned a B.A.A.S in Social Sciences.

Disclosure: Mr. Flores has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Richard Hamner, LMSW, RSPS, LCDC-I

Program Administrator, In-House Recovery Program

Center for Health Care Services

 

Richard’s professional interests are in improving the lives of individuals impacted by substance use by providing access to effective, person-centered Recovery Support Services (RSS). He has spent the last 14 years working in, and serving, the recovery community as it relates to RSS. Richard’s work in this area includes experience in recovery housing and serving as the Vice-Chair for the state of Texas Oxford House - Board of Directors (providers of recovery housing), serving as a Recovery Support Specialist in medically supervised withdrawal centers, and building recovery support services and a recovery housing program in San Antonio. He has worked with the state of Texas Health and Human Services Commission in the Peer Services Unit in Austin, Texas. Currently, Richard serves as a program manager with the Be Well Texas Program at UT Health San Antonio, overseeing the development and delivery of recovery support services throughout the state of Texas. These services focus on serving individuals and their families with criminal justice involvement and individuals challenged with opioid and/or stimulant use disorders, the development of recovery housing for emerging adults (18 – 25 yrs. of age) and expanding the capacity of peer recovery support services through the addition of virtual behavioral health technology resources. He is accustomed to cross-sector work in partnership with child welfare, criminal justice, primary healthcare, and housing sectors. Areas of expertise include Mental Health First Aid for Youth and Adults, telehealth RSS services, Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care, and Housing (Permanent Supportive Housing, Housing First, Rapid Re-Housing models).

Disclosure: Mr Hamner has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Elizabeth Castaneda, MHPS, LMSW

Program Specialist VI, Peer and Recovery Services Programs, Planning and Policy, Health & Human Services Commission

 

Liz Castaneda, MHPS, LMSW is the Recovery Support Services Coordinator with the Peer and Recovery Services Programs, Policy and Planning unit at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Liz’s programmatic work is focused on recovery support services for substance use recovery, peer support services in mental health and substance use treatment, and recovery oriented, trauma informed policy and practice. Prior to her work at HHSC Liz was a Senior Program Coordinator at Via Hope where she supported a statewide group of peer run mental health and substance use organizations, launched a leadership development program for individuals with lived experience of mental health and substance use recovery, and provided training and continuing education services to the peer workforce in Texas.

Disclosure: Ms. Castaneda has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-007-L04-P/T

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 01:15 PM - 04:30 PM

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-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP 4: Best Practices in Scene Safety and Patient Support [3 hours]

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HANDS ON WORKSHOP:  Best Practices in Scene Safety and Patient Support Laguna Madre Room

 

Learning Objectives:

• Align police officer occupational safety and wellness with effective overdose response and encounters with people who use drugs
• Describe best practices for police and law enforcement in encounters with people who use drugs
• Situate linkage to treatment and harm reduction in the range of discretionary options police and law enforcement consider in response to substance use-related incidents

 

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Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA, MA
Postdoctoral Fellow, Miriam Hospital

Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

 

Brandon del Pozo spent 23 years in policing: 19 in the NYPD, where he started his career on the beat in Brooklyn and went on to command two patrol precincts, and four as the chief of police of Burlington, Vermont, where he led the city’s public health response to the opioid crisis. Since completing his PhD in 2020, he is now a postdoctoral researcher on the consequences of substance use at Rhode Island's Miriam Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Disclosure: Dr. del Pozo has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Daniel Sledge, BA, LP

Senior Medical Specialist

Round Rock Fire Department

Crisis Response Unit

 

Daniel Sledge works as a community paramedic with the Williamson County Mobile Outreach Team (MOT). Dispatched through the 911 system, MOT responds to mental health crisis calls in the field. Daniel also conducts follow up visits for patients who received EMS treatment for opioid overdose. During the follow up visits he provides naloxone kits, trains patients and their loved ones on its administration, and helps connect them to resources that reduce harm and promote recovery.  Mr. Sledge has worked 10+ years in EMS both as a field EMT and a field paramedic. Before his current position, he helped in developing the Williamson County EMS Community Health Paramedic Program (CHP). There he worked with frequent utilizers of EMS and individuals who were at high risk of readmission following a hospital discharge. Goals were to conserve EMS resources and to manage subacute medical patients in the outpatient setting.  His areas of interest include cardiology, pharmacology, substance use disorders, and harm reduction.  Daniel earned his paramedic certification from Temple College. Before venturing into the medical field, Daniel was a working musician. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of North Texas. 

Disclosure: Daniel Sledge has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Annie Burwell, LBSW 

Program Manager

Round Rock Fire Department

Crisis Response Unit

 

Annie Burwell currently leads the nationally recognized Williamson County Mobile Outreach Team, a division of Williamson County EMS.   Ms. Burwell has been working in the behavioral health field for 30 years and received her degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin.  Her experience includes psychiatric acute care with children, experiential therapy with adolescents, with an emphasis on backpacking and challenge courses, school-based mental health services, and crisis intervention and management.  Ms. Burwell has significant training in grief, loss, and trauma interventions, substance use disorders, and is a certified hostage negotiator.  She is a clinical instructor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and serves on many community boards including the Williamson County Commissioners’ Court Behavioral Health Task Force.  She is the recipient of several awards including the Harry Gold Award (Partners in Education), the Heroes in the Fight Award (Mental Health America), Employee of the Year (Williamson County), Outstanding Team (Central Texas 100 Club), Exemplary Program of the Year (Texas Corrections Association), and the Behavioral Healthcare Professional of the Year (CIT International).  Recent presentations regarding emergency behavioral health and overdose response include the 2019 Texas Indigent Health Care Conference, the 2019 Crisis Intervention Team International Conference, and the 2020 National Co-Responder Conference.

Disclosure: Annie Burwell has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-008-L04-P/T

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 01:15 PM - 04:30 PM

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-- TTOR SUMMIT - [3 hours]

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TTOR Summit Nueces Ballroom A

 

This session is invitation only for TTOR funded program leaders.

There is no CE for this event.

 

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Date: 03/24/22

Time: 01:15 PM - 04:30 PM

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-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP 5: Methamphetamine Use Disorder: An Emerging Epidemic [1.5 hours]

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HANDS ON WORKSHOP: Methamphetamine Use Disorder: An Emerging Epidemic Corpus Christi Ballroom A&B

 

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss historical aspects of methamphetamine use disorder
• Describe effects of methamphetamine use disorder
• Describe trends in methamphetamine use disorder
• Describe evidence-based treatments for methamphetamine use disorder

 

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Sidarth Wakhlu, MD

Professor of Psychiatry, Distinguished Teaching Professor

Clinical Director Addiction Psychiatry Service Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Director Chair

Student Assistance Committee , University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

 

Dr Wakhlu is the Clinical Director of the Addiction Psychiatry Service in the Department of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern. He is also the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Director. He has been a Faculty member since 2003 with the rank of Professor. He is active in patient care and medical student/resident/fellow teaching and has been the recipient of several teaching awards. He is a member of the Southwestern Academy of Teachers (SWAT). He has presented at national and regional conferences including conducting buprenorphine training seminars & published articles and book chapters on substance use disorders. He is an investigator in NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) as well Industry supported studies.

Disclosure: Dr. Wakhlu has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-009-L04-P/T

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 03:00 PM - 04:30 PM

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-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP 6: Motivational Interviewing: Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment [1.5 hours]

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HANDS ON WORKSHOP: Motivational Interviewing: Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment  Nueces Ballroom B

 

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the spirit and key principles of Motivational Interviewing (MI), and skills for using brief adaptations of motivational interviewing.
• Demonstrate communication skills needed to screen, deliver brief interventions and make appropriate referrals for substance use disorders (SBIRT)
• Implement advanced skills for those already familiar with MI and SBIRT Skills for adapting SBiRT to facilitate conversations about COVID-19 vaccinations

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Mary Marden Velasquez, PhD

Centennial Professor in Leadership for Community, Professional and Corporate Excellence, Director of Health Behavior Research and Training Institute

The University of Texas at Austin Hicks School of Social Work

 

For the past two decades, Dr. Velasquez has been involved in federally funded clinical research to develop and test behavioral interventions targeting health behavior change. Her research studies and training programs have been funded by NIH, CDC, HRSA, SAMHSA, health networks, and state/local agencies. Dr. Velasquez also teaches health professionals to use brief motivational interventions in medical settings, with a special focus on women’s health, integrated care, and interprofessional teams. Dr. Velasquez is a founding member of the Steering Committee for the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), and a trainer in MI and Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). She was a member of the Expert Panel for the National Council for Behavioral Health’s development of new SBIRT guidelines, Implementing Care for Alcohol & Other Drug Use in Medical Settings: An extension of SBIRT (National Council, 2018).

Disclosure: Dr. Velasquez has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-006-L04-P/T

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 03:00 PM - 04:30 PM

Registration Closed  

Close

Break & Exhibitors

Registration Closed  

Lunch • Corpus Christi Ballroom C

 

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In-Person attendees join us for a refereshment break in Corpus Christ Ballroom C

 

 

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 04:30 PM - 04:45 PM

Registration Closed  

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PLENARY III: Creating Supportive Treatment Environments for BIPOC, Tailoring Treatment to the Realities of Substance Use at the Border - VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE

Registration Closed  

Plenary III: Creating Supportive Treatment Environments for BIPOC, Tailoring Treatment to the Realities of Substance Use at the Border

 

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals with a SUD residing on the U.S.-Mexico border
• Describe how the complex interaction between policy, availability of resources, and barriers at the structural and individual level exacerbate health care access and utilization disparities
• Discuss behavioral approaches to create supportive environments to reduce health care access and utilization disparities present in environments with hostile policies towards SUD

 

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Julia Lechuga, MA, PhD

Associate Professor of Public Health

The University of Texas at El Paso College of Health Sciences

 

Julia Lechuga, PhD., has over 15 years of experience assessing the needs of BIPOC individuals afflicted with substance use disorders in the U.S. and Central America and developing, implementing and testing behavioral interventions aimed at reducing rates of infectious diseases while addressing needs assessed. Dr. Lechuga graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a PhD in health psychology in 2008 and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2010. Her interventions address factors at the policy, community, and individual levels. Presently, Dr. Lechuga is associate professor of Public Health at the University of Texas at El Paso in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Disclosure: Dr Lechuga has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-011-L04-P/T

Date: 03/24/22

Time: 04:45 PM - 05:45 PM

Registration Closed  

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Reception, Exhibitors & Poster Session

Registration Closed  

Reception • Poster Session Corpus Christi Ballroom C

 

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In-Person attendees please join us in Corpus Christ Ballroom C for a light receiption and Posters!

Log in to access PDF copies of the posters.

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Date: 03/24/22

Time: 05:45 PM - 07:00 PM

Registration Closed  

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TxSUS Day 1 Concludes

Registration Closed  

TxSUS Day II

Registration Closed  

TxSUS - Check In - Front Desk Information - Program Map

Registration Closed  

In-Person • Check-in

 

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New In-Person attendees can pick up their namebag, bag and program in the registration area just outside the Corpus Christ Ballroom. 

 

Thursday attendees coming for the second day do not need to check in.

 

The first sessions will be in Corpus Christi Ballroom A.

 

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Registration Closed  

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TxSUS Day II: Welcome and Opening Remarks - Broadcast

Registration Closed  

Day II - Welcome and Opening Remarks

 

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Lucas Hill, PharmD, BCACP

Clinical Associate Professor, The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

Director, Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine Program

 

Dr. Hill graduated from the UMKC School of Pharmacy and completed a combined residency/fellowship in the UPMC Department of Family Medicine. He is now a clinical assistant professor at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy where he founded the PhARM Program and led implementation of Operation Naloxone. His research is focused on clinician-community collaborations to address substance use disorders through evidence-based treatment and harm reduction strategies.

Disclosure: Lucas Hill receives financial support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Texas Health and Human Services

 

 

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BONUS Update: (no CE)

Brief Update on Emerging Drug Contaminants in Texas: Xylazine

 

Claire Zagorski, MSc, LP

Program Coordinator, PhARM

College of Pharmacy The University of Texas at Austin

 

Disclosure: Claire Zagorski receives financial support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Texas Health and Human Services

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Date: 03/25/22

Time: 08:30 AM - 08:45 AM

Registration Closed  

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KEYNOTE: Incorporating Harm Reduction in Substance Use Disorder Treatment - VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE

Registration Closed  

Keynote: Incorporating Harm Reduction in Substance Use Disorder Treatment

 

Learning Objectives:

• Define the term harm reduction and give 2-3 examples of evidence-based harm reduction strategies in clinical practice 
• Assess how syringe service programs can prevent HIV, Hepatitis C and improve care of people who use drugs 
• Identify patient or client characteristics that place people at higher risk of overdose and list potential strategies for addressing these risks

 

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Kimberly Sue, MD, PhD

Medical Director of the National Harm Reduction Coalition

Physician-Anthropologist and Assistant Professor, Program in Addiction Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine

 

Kimberly Sue, MD, PhD, is the Medical Director of the National Harm Reduction Coalition where she provides national training and technical assistance to improve the health and well-being of people who use drugs. She is a physician-anthropologist and Assistant Professor in the Program in Addiction Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine.  Dr. Sue is a graduate of Harvard Medical School’s Social Science MD-PhD program and completed her medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, in Internal Medicine-Primary Care. Her book, Getting Wrecked: Women, Incarceration, and the American Opioid Crisis (UC Press, 2019), uses a medical anthropology lens to examine the intersection of US prison systems, addiction policy, mental health and treatment with women in Massachusetts. She has worked in diverse clinical environments, including syringe service programs, methadone clinics, and at the Rikers Island jail system in New York City.

Disclosure: Dr. Sue has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-012-L04-P/T

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 08:45 AM - 09:45 AM

Registration Closed  

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• CONCURRENT SESSIONS • Hands On Workshops (HOWs) - Agenda and Room Locations

Registration Closed  

Concurrent Sessions • Hands On Workshops (HOWs)

 

See tabs below for the concurrent Hands On Workshops

 

NOTE Some Workshops are 1 hour, some are 2 hours, the entire workshop period. See times and locations below:

 

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Date: 03/25/22

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Registration Closed  

Close

-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP A: Best Practices in Screening and Treatment Initiation [1 hour]

Registration Closed  

HANDS ON WORKSHOP: Best Practices in Screening and Treatment Initiation Nueces Ballroom B

 

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss approach to comprehensively screen patients for substance use disorders in the hospital
• Counsel patients on various options to treat their substance use disorder
• Discuss application of basic protocols for initiation of buprenorphine the inpatient setting

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Mary Velasquez, PhD

Centennial Professor in Leadership for Community, Professional and Corporate Excellence, Director of Health Behavior Research and Training Institute

The University of Texas at Austin Hicks School of Social Work

 

For the past two decades, Dr. Velasquez has been involved in federally funded clinical research to develop and test behavioral interventions targeting health behavior change. Her research studies and training programs have been funded by NIH, CDC, HRSA, SAMHSA, health networks, and state/local agencies. Dr. Velasquez also teaches health professionals to use brief motivational interventions in medical settings, with a special focus on women’s health, integrated care, and interprofessional teams. Dr. Velasquez is a founding member of the Steering Committee for the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), and a trainer in MI and Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). She was a member of the Expert Panel for the National Council for Behavioral Health’s development of new SBIRT guidelines, Implementing Care for Alcohol & Other Drug Use in Medical Settings: An extension of SBIRT (National Council, 2018).

Disclosure: Dr. Velasquez has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Jananie Ramesh, MD

Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine

The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School

 

Dr. Jananie Ramesh is a hospitalist and assistant professor of internal medicine at Dell Medical School in Austin, Texas.  She completed her residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and recently completed a fellowship in patient safety and quality improvement at Dell.  During her training, she became interested in the patient population of persons with use disorder (PWUD).  Dr. Ramesh has worked on several quality improvement and clinical initiatives on substance use disorders, including increasing inpatient naloxone prescriptions, expanding screening and treatment services for patients with alcohol use disorder, and educating learners on these topics.  She is a current member of the “B-Team” (Buprenorphine Team) at Dell, as well as part of the SHOUT Texas ECHO community, and has assisted in the promotion of the B-Team model of screening and treatment for OUD to other hospitals and clinical settings.

Disclosure: Dr. Ramesh has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-020-L04-P/T

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Registration Closed  

Close

-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP B: Developing a Local Harm Reduction Coalition / Texas Harm Reduction Alliance [1 hour]

Registration Closed  

HANDS ON WORKSHOP: Harm Reduction: Developing a Local Harm Reduction Coalition Aransas Room

 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the dominant historical themes that have shaped drug policy in the United States and Texas
• Discuss the principles of harm reduction and why harm reduction for people who use drugs is essential
• Describe the relationship between the War on Drugs and overdose and other risks associated with drug use
• Analyze strategies and tactics used to change policies in order to reduce the harm caused by the War on Drugs, reduce overdoses and other risks associated with drug use in your community

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Cate Graziani

Co-Executive Director

Texas Harm Reduction Alliance

 

Cate is thrilled to be working with an all-star team at the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance to prevent overdoses, decriminalize public health issues, and fight to end the racist War on Drugs. Before joining THRA, Cate was a member of the criminal justice team at Grassroots Leadership for four years, where she led work to fight private prison companies' foray into mental health hospitals, instead calling for divestments from the criminal legal system and reinvestments in community health. Her advocacy lies at the intersections of prison abolition, the "behavioral health" system, and ?racial justice, fighting for non-punitive & non-coercive public health strategies for drug use. Originally from CA by way of NC, Cate moved to Austin in 2011. After earning her MPAff/MSSW from the University of Texas, Cate worked for Mental Health America of Texas during the 2015 legislative session. That year, she helped pass SB 1462, the bill that expanded access to naloxone across Texas. She was awarded a Fulbright research award to study Portugal’s world-renowned drug decriminalization policy in 2016. Over nine months, she interviewed policymakers, academics, outreach workers, and people who inject drugs, learning from their public health approach to drug use so she could become a stronger advocate at home. Since then, Cate has been building a Harm Reduction movement in Austin and across Texas.

Disclosure: Cate Grazani has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Eli Cortez, MSSW 

Organizer and Training Coordinator

Texas Harm Reduction Alliance 

 

Eli Cortez (he/him) joins us from Austin, Texas where he attended the University of Texas and received his MSW. He currently supports Texas Harm Reduction Alliance as an organizer and training coordinator educating key stakeholders about Harm Reduction and combating stigmatizing dominant narratives about drug use and people who use drugs. He hopes to refine his advocacy skills to challenge the carceral state that criminalizes poverty and substance use by targeting people who use drugs (PWUD).

Disclosure: Eli Cortz has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-013-L04-P/T

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Registration Closed  

Close

-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP C: Complex SUD Medication Management: Microdosing & Long-Acting Injectables [2 hours]

Registration Closed  

HANDS ON WORKSHOP: Complex SUD Medication Management: Microdosing, Long-Acting Injectables, and Special Populations Nueces Ballroom A

 

Learning Objectives:

• Identify clinical indications and considerations for long-acting injectable buprenorphine and naltrexone.
• Describe when and how to microdose buprenorphine for OUD.
• Discuss medications for OUD in adolescents.

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Jennifer Papac, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor, UT Health San Antonio

 

Dr. Jennifer Papac is a Clinical Assistant Professor at UT Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). Originally from Northern California, she graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a bachelor’s in molecular and cellular biology and received her medical degree from the University of California Davis. She completed general psychiatry residency at Stanford University followed by a fellowship in addiction psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Her clinical interests include medical education, psychopharmacology, and reducing barriers to treat substance use disorders. As faculty at UTHSCSA, she spends her time treating individuals with substance use disorders and supervising both medical students and residents in the department of psychiatry. Additionally, she is the associate medical director of Be Well Texas, a virtual clinic that provides substance use and mental health treatment to those living in the state of Texas.

Disclosure: Dr. Papac has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Amanda J. Simonton, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Clinical Assistant Professor

University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing

 

Amanda J. Simonton, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in Austin Texas. As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, she has primarily worked with adults with dual-diagnosed, substance use and mental health, disorders and with children and adolescents. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing ('13), Master of Science in Nursing (’18), and Doctor of Philosophy (’20) through the School of Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin. She is currently the President of the Texas Chapter Board of Directors for the American Psychiatric Nurses Association and on the Policy Council for Texas Nurse Practitioners. Her research and clinical interests are to improve the lives of individuals with substance use disorders and youth struggling with psychiatric issues by utilizing evidence-based care and best-practices in the fields of psychiatry and psychology. Additionally, she is passionate about networking with, teaching, and supporting students and other clinicians working in these fields.

Disclosure: Dr. Simonton has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-014-L04-P/T

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Registration Closed  

Close

-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP D: Outreach, Screening, Assessment and Referral (OSAR) – Getting to Know Your Texas SUD Resources [2 hours]

Registration Closed  

HANDS ON WORKSHOP: Outreach, Screening, Assessment and Referral (OSAR) – Getting to Know Your Texas SUD Resources Corpus Christi Ballroom A&B

 

Learning Objectives:

• Define the purpose and scope of the Outreach, Screening, Assessment and Referral (OSAR) programs in Texas
• Describe existing practices of OSAR programs
• Describe ways to collaborate with OSAR programs
• Discuss potential areas for improvement of OSAR services

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Hildebrando Mireles III, LPC-S, PhD Candidate

Director of Substance Use Services

Tropical Texas Behavioral Health

 

Hildebrando “Brando” Mireles III is a native of Eagle Pass, Texas but also considers Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley home.  In 2003 he received a dual Batchelor Degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi.  In 2007 He received his 1st master’s degree in clinical psychology from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi.  He then received his 2nd master’s degree in media psychology in January of 2020 from Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara California.  He is currently a PhD candidate for the school of Psychology with an emphasis on organizational development and media psychology.  His dissertation will focus on the use of virtual reality technology as a learning tool to research learned prosocial behavior.

He is the current President of the Texas Association of Addictions Professionals – Rio Grande Valley Chapter – “VAAP.”  He is also a member of the Texas Council Substance Abuse – Special Interest Group and has recently accepted the first-ever Substance Abuse Chair to serve as an extension of the Executive Directors Consortium and Texas Council of Community Centers, Inc.       

Brando has been an employee of Tropical Texas Behavioral Health since 2012 – and going on 10 years of loyal service.  At Tropical, Brando has served as the ACT Team supervisor and associate psychologist, behavioral health adult and youth services program manager and now the Director of SUDS Services including: OSAR Texas Region 11, The Texas Targeted Opioid Response, Medication Assisted Treatment, Outpatient Services for Adults and Youth, Residential Care Services, and Inpatient Detox.

Disclosure: Hilenbrando Mireles has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Jessica Cance, MPH, PhD

Research Public Health Analyst, RTI International

 

Jessica Duncan Cance, MPH, PhD, is a senior research public health analyst at RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, in the Substance Use Prevention, Evaluation, and Research Program. Dr. Cance has 20 years of research and practice experience focused on addressing substance misuse from a public health perspective. She has led and contributed to epidemiological research, program implementation and evaluation projects, and coalition building supported by state, federal, and foundation funding.

Disclosure: Jessica Cance has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Anna Eisenberg, MPH

OSAR, Waitlist, and Capacity Coordinator

Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC)

Medical & Social Services (MSS) Division | Behavioral Health Services (BHS)

Substance Intervention & Treatment Programs (SITP)

 

Anna Eisenberg is the OSAR, Waitlist, and Capacity Coordinator with the Substance Intervention and Treatment Programs unit with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Prior to this role, Anna was the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Team Lead with the Center for Health Emergency Preparedness and Response in Regional and Local Health Operations at DSHS. She has also worked as a research coordinator on opioid overdose prevention studies, a grant writer on federally funded HIV/STI/Viral Hepatitis prevention grants, and a federal funds SME.

Disclosure: Anna Eisenberg has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-015-L04-P/T

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Registration Closed  

Close

-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP E: Leveraging Paramedicine Teams to Solve the U.S. Overdose Epidemic [2 hours]

Registration Closed  

HANDS ON WORKSHOP: Leveraging Paramedicine Teams to Solve the U.S. Overdose Epidemic Laguna Madre Room

 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the Texas Targeted Opioid Response (TTOR) and how this funding mechanism has been used to establish overdose response paramedicine programs.
• Explain the key essential components of a successful overdose response paramedicine program
• Describe three examples of programs that exist in Texas
• Discuss how each of these programs has been designed to address the unique needs of its community
• Describe future plans for the expansion of currently existing overdose response paramedicine programs in Texas.

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Andrea J. Yatsco, PhD, CADC, LCDC

Assistant Professor and Program Manager
UT Health Science Center at Houston

 

Andrea J Yatsco, PhD, CADC, LCDC, is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. Dr. Yatsco received her PhD in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State and wrote her dissertation on the impact of military service on delinquency and substance use over the life course. Her undergraduate work at University of Arizona focused on psychological and sociological predictors of deviant behavior. She has counseled incarcerated populations in Massachusetts, and worked with families and adolescent offenders in Vermont. She is a previous adjunct professor of Becker College, teaching curriculum in the undergraduate forensic psychology concentration and developed grant funded substance education. Dr. Yatsco is an Assistant Professor at UT Health Science Center at Houston working as the Associate Director for clinical research with opioid use disorders at Houston Emergency Opioid Engagement System (HEROES) and related expansion projects across the state.

Disclosure: Dr. Yatsco has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Lisa Cleveland, PhD, RN, CPNP, IBCL, FAAN
Associate Professor, Office for Faculty Excellence

UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing

 

Dr. Lisa Cleveland is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, a Mary Jane Ihle Clark Professor in Caregiving, and a tenured Professor at UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing. Her innovative research with mother-infant dyads impacted by opioid use has contributed to changes in clinical practice and improved outcomes. The recovery residence, Casa Mia, is a collaborative partnership between the School of Nursing and the nonprofit, Crosspoint, Inc. Casa Mia provides safe and supportive housing for pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorder where they can recover with their children. In addition, the findings of Dr. Cleveland’s Maternal Opioid Morbidity Study are providing insight into the contextual factors surrounding maternal opioid use relapse and overdose deaths; the leading cause of maternal mortality in TX and a growing cause nationwide. Dr. Cleveland is now developing and psychometrically analyzing a brief screening instrument to help identify women at-risk for overdose death so they may be referred to life-saving resources. Dr. Cleveland is also a leader in the Texas Targeted Opioid Response to ensure access to Narcan, and opioid overdose identification and reversal education: moreNARCANplease.com. Further, she leads the statewide community paramedicine program expansion to prevent overdose, increase the use of peer recovery services, and improve access to treatment.

Disclosure: Dr. Cleveland has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Daniel Sledge, BA, LP

Senior Medical Specialist

Round Rock Fire Department

Crisis Response Unit

 

Daniel Sledge worked as a community paramedic with the Williamson County Mobile Outreach Team (MOT). Dispatched through the 911 system, MOT responds to mental health crisis calls in the field. Daniel also conducts follow up visits for patients who received EMS treatment for opioid overdose. During the follow up visits he provides naloxone kits, trains patients and their loved ones on its administration, and helps connect them to resources that reduce harm and promote recovery.  Mr. Sledge has worked 10+ years in EMS both as a field EMT and a field paramedic. Before his current position, he helped in developing the Williamson County EMS Community Health Paramedic Program (CHP). There he worked with frequent utilizers of EMS and individuals who were at high risk of readmission following a hospital discharge. Goals were to conserve EMS resources and to manage subacute medical patients in the outpatient setting.  His areas of interest include cardiology, pharmacology, substance use disorders, and harm reduction.  Daniel earned his paramedic certification from Temple College. Before venturing into the medical field, Daniel was a working musician. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of North Texas.

Disclosure: Mr. Sledge has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Annie Burwell, LBSW 

Program Manager

Round Rock Fire Department

Crisis Response Unit

 

Annie Burwell currently led the nationally recognized Williamson County Mobile Outreach Team, a division of Williamson County EMS.   Ms. Burwell has been working in the behavioral health field for 30 years and received her degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin.  Her experience includes psychiatric acute care with children, experiential therapy with adolescents, with an emphasis on backpacking and challenge courses, school-based mental health services, and crisis intervention and management.  Ms. Burwell has significant training in grief, loss, and trauma interventions, substance use disorders, and is a certified hostage negotiator.  She is a clinical instructor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and serves on many community boards including the Williamson County Commissioners’ Court Behavioral Health Task Force.  She is the recipient of several awards including the Harry Gold Award (Partners in Education), the Heroes in the Fight Award (Mental Health America), Employee of the Year (Williamson County), Outstanding Team (Central Texas 100 Club), Exemplary Program of the Year (Texas Corrections Association), and the Behavioral Healthcare Professional of the Year (CIT International).  Recent presentations regarding emergency behavioral health and overdose response include the 2019 Texas Indigent Health Care Conference, the 2019 Crisis Intervention Team International Conference, and the 2020 National Co-Responder Conference.

Disclosure: Ms. Burwell has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Christopher Velasquez
Program Manager - Mobile Integrated Healthcare
San Antonio Fire Department

 

Christopher Velasquez, NREMT-P, is a paramedic in the San Antonio Fire Departments Mobile Integrated Healthcare program and a trainer for the  San Antonio Police Department Crisis Intervention Team.  Velasquez has been in the San Antonio Fire Department for 26 years and has been assigned to the EMS Division for the last 15 years.  He is an instructor at UT Health San Antonio in the School of Emergency Health Sciences.  Velasquez has helped implement and deploy numerous MIH programs including: a program to address high volume utilizers, integrative hospice and MIH program to decrease 911 hospice patient calls, an Acute Care Station utilizing field paramedics in Texas' largest homeless shelter, Threat Assessment Group interventions, Targeted Opioid Response and a multi-agency Program for Intensive Care Coordination for San Antonio's most at-risk populations.

Disclosure: Mr. Velasquez has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-016-L04-P/T

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Registration Closed  

Close

-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP F: Optimizing Collaboration to Enhance Treatment Access [1 hour]

Registration Closed  

HANDS ON WORKSHOP: Optimizing Collaboration to Enhance Treatment Access Nueces Ballroom B

 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe barriers to SUD treatment access in community pharmacies
• Discuss models of pharmacist collaboration to address these barriers

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Lucas Hill, PharmD

Clinical Associate Professor, The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

 

Dr. Hill graduated from the UMKC School of Pharmacy and completed a combined residency/fellowship in the UPMC Department of Family Medicine. He is now a clinical assistant professor at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy where he founded the PhARM Program and led implementation of Operation Naloxone. His research is focused on clinician-community collaborations to address substance use disorders through evidence-based treatment and harm reduction strategies.

Disclosure: Lucas Hill receives financial support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Texas Health and Human Services

 

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Lindsey J. Loera, PharmD
PhARM Fellow,University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

Clinical Pharmacist, CARMAhealth Management, InC

 

Dr. Lindsey Loera graduated from The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy in 2020 and is currently completing a two-year fellowship with the PhARM Program. In this role, she works to develop an innovative clinical pharmacy practice at CARMAhealth and conduct statewide research exploring the pharmacist’s role in addiction treatment. She previously served as President of the Student Pharmacist Recovery Network and co-founded the Addiction Medicine Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience.

Disclosure: Dr. Loera has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-017-L04-P/T

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Registration Closed  

Close

-- HANDS ON WORKSHOP G: What is TxCOPE and How Can it Help Your Organization [1 hour]

Registration Closed  

HANDS ON WORKSHOP: What is TxCOPE and How Can it Help Your Organization Aransas Room

 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe what Texas Connecting Overdose Prevention Efforts (TxCOPE) is and how it will improve overdose prevention efforts across Texas
• Discuss the co-design process between community and academic partners to develop TxCOPE
• Identify how TxCOPE can be used in your organization

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Kasey Claborn, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work

 

Kasey Claborn, PhD is a research scientist and clinical psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the Director for the Addictions Research Institute. Dr. Claborn received her Ph.D from Oklahoma State University and postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University’s Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. Her work focuses on identifying gaps in the healthcare system and strategies to use technology to improve the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders. Dr. Claborn has received over $10 million in extramural funding for her work from the National Institute of Health, SAMHSA, Health Resources and Services Administration, Google, and Texas Health and Human Services. She has received numerous awards for her innovative work in technology and addiction science, including being the recipient of a Google Cloud Services Award for building technology for social impact.

Disclosure: Dr. Claborn has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-018-L04-P/T

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Registration Closed  

Close

Networking Lunch Break & Exhibitors

Registration Closed  

Lunch • Corpus Christi Ballroom C

 

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In-Person attendees can pick up a quick lunch and visit exhibitors in Corpus Christ Ballroom C

 

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM

Registration Closed  

Close

State Leadership Panel - Broadcast

Registration Closed  

State Leadership Panel: Substance Use Interventions in Texas

 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe lessons learned from projects addressing substance use and addiction
• Discuss future plans and opportunities to enhance substance use interventions

 

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Lisa Ramirez, MA

Senior Policy Advisor for Behavioral Health Services, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

 

Lisa Ramirez leads the development of redesign-oriented strategic behavioral health policies with a focus on issues pertaining to substance use for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.  Prior to her current role, she served as director for the state’s response to the opioid crisis.  Her expertise is in drug user health with a focus on developing strategies that improve public health outcomes associated with substance use.  During her time at HHSC she has led teams of subject matter experts committed to providing timely access to high-quality integrated substance use and co-occurring psychiatric disorders services for low-income Texas residents. In addition, she served as primary subject matter expert on treatment and intervention services for pregnant and parenting women for the Texas Department of State Health Services.  As the women’s services coordinator she developed, managed, and provided oversight for initiatives funded through the 84^th legislative session aimed at improving outcomes associated with maternal opioid use and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome.  She is a graduate of the Women’s Addiction Services Leadership Institute as well as the Health and Human Services Leadership Academy.  She received the DSHS MHSA award for outstanding achievement and the Associate Commissioner’s Award.  Focused on improving outcomes for families affected by prenatal substance exposure, she served on SAMHSA’s Center for Excellence Expert Panel on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Ms. Ramirez has a background in addiction treatment services working with clients in withdrawal management, residential, outpatient, intervention, and outreach settings. She earned her master’s degree in Art Therapy from Southwestern College in Santa Fe, NM and currently serves on the board of directors for the National Harm Reduction Coalition.

Disclosure: Ms. Ramirez has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Kasey Strey, ACPS

Director for the Texas Targeted Opioid Response, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

 

Kasey Strey joined the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in 2015 after working six years in the substance misuse prevention field. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin from the School of Social Work and is an Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist. Ms. Strey is the Director of the Texas Targeted Opioid Response – a program that aims to reduce overdose death and improve access to care in Texas.

Disclosure: Ms. Strey has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Andy Keller, PhD

President, Chief Executive Officer, and Linda Perryman Evans Presidential Chair of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

 

Andy Keller, PhD, is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, where he also holds the Linda Perryman Evans Presidential Chair. The Meadows Institute is a Texas-based nonprofit that provides nonpartisan policy and program research, development, and advice to national, state, and community leaders towards a single goal: improving mental health care delivery in Texas and the nation. Andy is a licensed clinical and community psychologist with more than 25 years of experience in behavioral health policy, financing, and best practice implementation. His work has centered on helping state and local health systems implement evidence-based and innovative care, as well as helping local and state governments develop the regulatory and financial frameworks to support them. Prior to moving full time into policy work, Andy was a managing partner for 15 years at a national health and human services consulting firm where he focused on health financing and system transformation. Before that, he worked in Colorado with a leading Medicaid HMO and the local community mental health system, where he directed and led a range of community-based and care management programs.

Disclosure: Dr. Keller has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH

Vice President for Research, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UT Health San Antonio

 

Jennifer Sharpe Potter, Ph.D., M.P.H., is Vice President for Research and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio (UTHSA). Dr. Potter is a national expert in substance use disorders with particular emphasis on increasing access to evident-based treatment for opioid and other substance use disorders. Dr. Potter’s NIH-funded research focuses on the design and conduct of behavioral and pharmacological treatments for substance use disorder with a recent emphasis on technology-based treatments for opioids and stimulants. Dr. Potter is a Principal Investigator with the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network (CTN). Dr. Potter is funded by Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) to oversee several statewide public health initiatives to increase access to substance use disorder treatment for Texans including providing additional support for people seeking help for problematic substance use and substance use disorder as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other state-funded programs include a statewide outpatient opioid use disorder provider treatment network, a statewide peer recovery support network, establish a statewide virtual clinic to provide care in underserved areas, implementing hospital-based addiction treatment initiation, and a training and telementoring program for health care providers treating opioid use disorder. Prior to joining UTHSA, Dr. Potter was with Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, and received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia and her Master of Public Health from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. 

Disclosure: Dr. Potter has no relevant financial relationship(s), potential or perceived, with commercial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

 

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Moderator: Lucas Hill, PharmD, BCACP

Clinical Associate Professor, The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

Director, Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine Program

 

Dr. Hill graduated from the UMKC School of Pharmacy and completed a combined residency/fellowship in the UPMC Department of Family Medicine. He is now a clinical assistant professor at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy where he founded the PhARM Program and led implementation of Operation Naloxone. His research is focused on clinician-community collaborations to address substance use disorders through evidence-based treatment and harm reduction strategies.

Disclosure: Lucas Hill receives financial support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Texas Health and Human Services

 

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Activity Number

0067-9999-22-019-L04-P/T

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 01:00 PM - 02:15 PM

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Closing Remarks and Call to Action

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2022 TxSUS Closing Remarks and Call to Action Corpus Christi Ballroom A&B

 

Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH

Vice President for Research, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UT Health San Antonio

 

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Date: 03/25/22

Time: 02:15 PM - 02:30 PM

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TxSUS Day 2 Concludes

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2022 TxSUS Adjourns

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-- Local Summit: Focus on Corpus Christi and the Nueces County Region

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Local Summit: Focus on Corpus Christi Region Coprus Christi Ballroom A&B

 

The Local Summit allows space for local leaders to disucssion action steps from content learned during the TxSUS.

There is no CE for this event.

 

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Local Summit Facilitators:

 

Nelly Garcia Blow, DO

Geriatrician, CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital – Shoreline

 

Xavier Gonzales, PhD

Research Associate Professor, S&E Life Sciences, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi

 

Honorable Barbara A. Canales, JD

Nueces County Commissioners Court Judge

 

Mark Hendrix II, MS, LPC

Director of Operations at Nueces Center for Mental health and Intellectual Disabilities

 

Melissa Sweeting, LBSW

Executive Director, The Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Costal Bend

 

Ruben Bernal

Peer Recovery Coach, The Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Costal Bend

 

Alison Johnson, MS, CHES, CHW, LCDC

Program Coordinator, Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation

 

Mark Schauer

Assistant Chief of Police, Corpus Christi Police Department

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 02:30 PM - 04:30 PM

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OVERALL EVALUATION - Please complete

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Please complete the overall Symposium evaluation on Friday.  We need your feedback in order to improve the program for next year. 

This evaluation will become live at noon on Friday.

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We greatly appreciate your time in providing this information.  Thank you!

 

Date: 03/25/22

Time: 12:00 PM - 12:00 PM

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Texas Opioid Training Initiative (TxOTI) - additional FREE online CE content

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Texas Opioid Training Initiative (TxOTI)

 

The Texas Opioid Training Initiative provides 10+ hours of free online continuing education for a broad range of health professionals, including physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and social workers.

• View the website here for more information and links to the free CE courses: https://txoti.org/

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