"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhuman." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
GRAPPLING WITH ADDICTION: FOSTERING HEALTH, HOPE AND HEALING
Statement of Purpose –
This celebration focuses on bringing a social justice and equity lens to addiction. We will foster awareness of harm reduction and health promotion, offer hope to those struggling with addiction and engage with community efforts to envision paths toward healing!
All events will be held in the Life Sciences Center, Oopik Auditorium.
Friday, January 24th
4:30 PM Dinner provided
4:45 PM Documentary - “The Hungry Heart”
This documentary provides an intimate look at the often-hidden world of prescription drug addiction and patients struggling with this disease
Facilitator: Wayne Miller, BS, CRSW; Founder of Living Proof Mentoring - Supporting Black Youth in VT & NH
Saturday, January 25th
8:30 AM Continental Breakfast
Presentations
9:00 AM "The Time has Come to be Proactive - Take Action"
For far too long, our society has focused on addressing problems after they exist. In a world full of information, we often know the cause and effect of most situations, addiction and substance misuse are no different. Sean Perry will delve into addressing addiction, before it starts and dscribe anxiety and why supporting youth early on can greatly reduce the need to self-medicate. Sean will explore how telling children to "Just say no" is not only outdated but never considers why they may want to say yes in the first place.
Presenter: sean Perry; President, Co-Founder - We R H.O.P.E.
10:00 AM "America's Opioid Crisis in an Ethical Crisis"
More than 72,000 Americans died from drug overdose in 2017, which is more than were killed at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This public health crisis continues to be driven by opioids, which were involved in more than 49,000 of those deaths. Despite the scale of this problem, relatively little has been said about the specifically ethical issues raised by drug overdose. In this talk, Travis Rieder argues that this is a serious oversight. Combining his own experience of both the benefits and burdens of opioids with his expertise as a bioethicist, Travis canvasses the broad landscape of moral problems raised at the intersection of pain, opioids, and addiction—focusing especially on the historical and ongoing injustices that must be addressed if we are to really ‘solve’ the opioid crisis.
Presenter: Travis N. Rieder, PhD; Bioethicist, Philosopher, Author
11:00 AM Coffee Break
11:15 AM "Recovery and Advocacy"
Policy inevitably shapes social behavior. While attention appropriately rest on prevention, treatment, and recovery resources in the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) landscape, we must not disregard how legislation dictates what systems of support receive state and federal assistance. Legislators receive statistics and evidence-based information from lobbyists, grasstop representatives, and organizational leadership to advise their opinions and decisions on legislative bills. However, the stories and perspectives of the constituents with the lived-experiences these agencies and non-profits are championing are often left out of the decision-making process. It is important to recognize where advocacy plays a role in the road to recovery, as we collectively generate efforts to create long-term, culture changing solutions to the current Addiction crisis.
Presenter: Pedro Altagracia; Community Engagement Coordinator - New Futures
12:15 PM Lunch provided
Performance by: Dermatones, Geisel School of Medicine Student Group
1:00 PM “The Need for Physician-Advocates in the Pathway Towards Recovery”
Physicians are uniquely capable of having a huge impact in the lives of people who have substance use disorders (SUD). This presentation is designed specifically for future and current clinicians who will inevitably encounter people who have SUD. Topics will range from the epidemiology of SUD and pathways towards recovery, the manifestations of stigma, a historical overview of the SUD treatment system and current best practices, and innovative shifts in payment and financing. As a result of this presentation, we hope that the audience will better understand the important role that clinicians can play in helping their patients with SUD as well as the importance of supporting harm reduction strategies, criminal justice reform, equitable access to effective treatment, and multiple pathways of recovery.
Presenters: Morgan Shields, MS; PhD candidate and Robert Bohler, MPH; PhD candidate
Service Activity
2:30 PM Participants will have the exciting opportunity to assemble resource kits to improve wound care for folks utilizing the NH Harm Reduction Coalition.
Facilitator: Emily Runyan; Project Coordinator, NH Harm Reduction Coalition