SAMHSA Headlines—Your one-stop source for the latest from SAMHSA.
| Healthcare and mental health professionals, first responders, and others on the frontlines of COVID-19 response do intense, sometimes stressful work, even outside of emergencies. In an unprecedented crisis, responders may be at particular risk, and it is even more important they take steps to ensure their physical and mental health.  SAMHSA is allowing flexibility for grant recipients affected by the loss of operational capacity and increased costs due to the COVID-19 crisis. These flexibilities are available during this emergency time period. Flexibility may be reassessed upon issuance of new guidance by the Office of Management and Budget post the emergency time period. Continue to check for updated information and resources to assist grant recipients during the COVID-19 emergency.
 Training and events are available for practitioners through SAMHSA’s Training and Technical Assistance Centers. Some of these are highlighted below. Visit SAMHSA’s Practitioner Training webpage for a more complete listing.
SAMHSA Headlines offers you a biweekly update of selected upcoming trainings and webinars. However, for a broader range of activities, visit this website, as well as the training sections of individual technical assistance center websites.
Selected events are highlighted below. Note that some of them require advance registration.
Note: If you are unable to access an event or webinar or have questions, please contact the source given at the individual event URL.
Tuesday, October 6, 2020 12:00 p.m. EDT An increasing number of Americans are turning to kratom for self-management of various pain, anxiety, and mood states; and for those with opioid use disorder, as an opioid substitute. With use of this botanical on the rise, it is pertinent for clinicians to stay up to date with the latest best practices surrounding this agent and its management. This webinar will briefly cover such updates, but with a main focus on providing guidance on treatment of patients with such co-morbidity. These FAQs address general questions associated with award and management of SAMHSA discretionary grants that may arise in relation to COVID-19. This information does not apply to SABG, MHBG, PATH or PAIMI grants. Applicants and grant recipients are strongly encouraged to continue to check for updated information and resources. | Tuesday, October 6, 2020 1:00 p.m. EDT This webinar describes the unique role of peer support specialists in the CDC-funded pilot project Reducing Overdose After Release from Incarceration (ROAR). The ROAR pilot combines provision of medication for opioid use disorder with support from Oregon Certified Recovery Mentors (CRMs) to reduce overdose risk among women released from prison. | Wednesday, October 7, 2020 12:00 p.m. EDT The goal of this series is to enhance and increase screening of infectious disease in Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) and to increase collaboration among STI/HIV/HCV clinics, substance use treatment providers, family planning clinics, and others. Session 5, Emerging Trends and Resources, will discuss how opioid treatment programs and their collaborators in the fields of HIV and beyond have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resources and strategies available for moving forward and focusing on increasing screening for HIV, HCV, and other infectious diseases. | Wednesday, October 7, 2020 12:00 p.m. EDT As peer advocates enter the workforce in substance use treatment, many supervisors are not prepared with the knowledge and skills necessary to supervise their peers effectively and efficiently. This course will review many topics around supervision: what it is, how it is different for peers, and the challenges to supervising peers. | Wednesday, October 7, 2020 4:00 p.m. EDT The COVID-19 pandemic is eliciting significant psychosocial concerns for youth and adults alike, especially anxiety. Educators have unique opportunities to engage with youth during this time, despite the fact that most schools are operating remotely. In this webinar, we will discuss how to identify anxiety, distinguish typical and problematic anxiety, describe/utilize coping strategies for anxiety, and promote resilience in educational settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Thursday, October 8, 2020 2:00 p.m. EDT This first offering in this informative pharmacology webinar series will explore the pharmacology of alcohol. The presenter will cover how alcohol addiction impacts major brain regions and the acute and chronic symptoms associated with alcohol use. Specific features of alcohol dependence and withdrawal will be discussed. Additionally, we will discuss alcohol use during pregnancy and the categories of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Other webinars in this series include: - Thursday, October 15, 2020: Pharmacology of Opioids
- Thursday, October 22, 2020: Pharmacology of Psychostimulants (cocaine & methamphetamine)
- Thursday, October 29, 2020: Pharmacology of Cannabis
| Friday, October 9, 2020 1:00 p.m. EDT Primary care staff and behavioral health providers working in integrated care settings are up against a slate of novel challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a panel discussion among health care workers who have developed strategies for responding to these emergent issues. | Friday, October 9, 2020 3:00 p.m. EDT Underlying the goal of recovery for people with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) is the concept of self-determination. This is a process of taking back control of lives that have been overwhelmed by the debilitating nature of SMI and the loss of control resulting from reliance on a system that fosters dependence. This webinar will take a comprehensive look at Self-Directed Care and its benefits for individuals with SMI. | Martes, 13 de Octubre de 2020 1:00 p.m. EDT Este seminario web examinará la diferencia entre el distanciamiento social y la desconexión social y proporcionará estrategias para lidiar con las secuelas emocionales de estar lejos de los demás entre los niños, adolescentes y cuidadores, especialmente enfocado en aquellos que se identifican como latinx. - Martes, 13 de Octubre de 2020 – Parte 1: Distanciamiento social: manejo de los efectos emocionales de estar lejos de los demás
- Martes, 20 de Octubre de 2020 РParte 2: Estrategias para manejar las emociones en ni̱os, adolescentes y cuidadores durante la pandemia de COVID-19
- Martes, 27 de Octubre de 2020 РParte 3: Proceso de duelo: lidiar con las p̩rdidas durante una pandemia
| Wednesday, October 14, 2020 1:00 p.m. EDT In this session, attendees will learn about psychological safety in the workplace and a communication strategy they can use to help develop it in their school. Psychological safety refers to a sense of safety to show faults and mistakes in the workplace without repercussion, and to be able to effectively give and respond to feedback. Psychological safety is most effectively instilled through leaders to create a safe working environment, and teachers can contribute to that process in their day-to-day interactions with one another. | Wednesday, October 14, 2020 2:00 p.m. EDT Though no FDA-approved medications to treat methamphetamine use disorder exist yet, new research has demonstrated the efficacy of various behavioral treatments, particularly contingency management. This webinar will provide an overview of the current state of methamphetamine use, considerations for concurrent opioid use, and strategies and interventions for treating and engaging individuals with stimulant use disorder. | Wednesday, October 14, 2020 3:00 p.m. EDT This session will focus on culturally responsive programmatic efforts to improve access and utilization of behavioral health services among the Hispanic/Latinx community. The session will describe how these programs and strategies reduce disparities by addressing often cited barriers and promote behavioral health equity. The concept of cultural brokering and its use across settings will be discussed, and considerations and implementation of community mental health navigator programs will be described. | Thursday, October 15, 2020 2:00 p.m. EDT This webinar will explore the pharmacology of opioids. The presenter will cover how opioid addiction impacts major brain regions and the acute and chronic symptoms associated with opioid use. Specific features of opioid dependence and withdrawal will be discussed, specifically symptoms that occur when a person is discontinuing their use. | Clinical Roundtables – Webinars The Providers Clinical Support System (PCSS) is conducting a series of special Clinical Roundtables to provide you with the information you need as you care for your patients with Opioid Use Disorder. The goal of the PCSS Clinical Roundtable is to support interactions among addiction experts and health professionals through an informal “roundtable” conversation. More information is available at the PCSS calendar of events. Below are some upcoming webinars: | |
