Driving Community Solutions for the Opioid Crisis

San Diego, CA-  Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at 11am – 1pm (PT)
Driving Community Solutions for the Opioid Crisis
 
The opioid crisis has become America’s #1 public health emergency. Treatment professionals are in a position to influence everyday citizens and policy makers alike, but finding the right avenues can be a challenge. At the same time, treatment professionals can struggle with staying up-to-date on the latest developments in America’s prescription drug abuse and heroin epidemic.
 
To address these needs, Addiction Professional magazine has organized a lunch’n’learn in San Diego to discuss how treatment professionals can better work together and become effective change agents for educating the public as well as helping to bring about a comprehensive prevention and broad-based treatment strategy.
 
Upon attending this course, participants will be able to:
 
  • Understand recent developments in the opioid crisis and its impact on the local community
  • Prepare discussion points to share with the community
  • Explore ways treatment professionals of all types can better work together to ensure a recovery-oriented system of care
One hour of continuing education credit will be available. 
Thought Leadership Partner
Panel Series Sponsor
Sponsors

Panelists

Melissa Stevenson
Director of Outpatient Services at Foundations San Diego

Melissa Stevenson is the director of outpatient services at Foundations San Diego. Melissa began her career in San Diego working with homeless veterans suffering from addiction and mental illness. Since that time, she has honed her skills in working with couples, families and groups with the goal of fostering health and recovery from addiction and co-occurring mental illnesses. She has extensive experience in working with those who are suffering from trauma, psychosis, depression, anxiety and addiction. She has worked in both for profit and non-profit mental health programs. Melissa has been a program director for a therapeutic community in San Diego as well as an associate director for evidence-based programs in three counties in the Bay Area. She holds the belief that recovery is possible and has dedicated her life to working with others who share a similar philosophy. 
Melissa was drawn to Foundations Recovery Network due to the emphasis on opportunity to heal the soul, mind and body at the same time. She has a strong commitment to supporting those around her to find healing from trauma, anxiety, depression and addiction. 
Melissa is a native to California. She grew up in northern California on a ranch riding horses and participating in 4-H. She moved down to San Diego for college after earning a full ride basketball scholarship. She finds peace in nature and has recently become very interested in nature photography. Finding new spots to take pictures has become a way for Melissa to stay grounded while finding adventure at the same time.
Pete Nielsen 
Chief Executive Office, CCAPP 
 
Pete Nielsen is the Chief Executive Officer for the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP), CCAPP Credentialing, and CCAPP Education Institute. CCAPP is the largest statewide consortium of community-based for profit and non-profit substance use disorder treatment agencies and addiction focused professionals, providing services to over 100,000 California residents annually in residential, outpatient, and private practice settings. Its 12,000 individual addiction professionals and 500 programs provide substance use disorder treatment and recovery services throughout the state and constitute the largest infrastructure of the state’s publicly funded substance use disorder treatment network. CCAPP is the only statewide consortium representing all modalities of substance use disorder treatment programs. 
Under the leadership of Pete Nielsen, CCAPP is leading the way with the creation of the California Comprehensive  Addiction Recovery Act (C-CARA). C-CARA is California’s comprehensive blueprint for addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery services. Meant to become a national model, C-CARA’s goals are "reformulating resources, priorities, and vision to focus on addiction as a public health crisis."  
Mr. Nielsen played a major role in navigating the consolidation of the California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC) and the California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources (CAARR) and growing CCAPP as an industry powerhouse. He previously held the position of Deputy Director for CCAPP and, prior to the consolidation, as Interim Executive Director for CAADAC. In addition to Mr. Nielsen’s solid background in association management, he has a diverse background in education and treatment. He has worked in education as a campus director, academic dean, and an instructor. He has worked in the substance use disorders field for nineteen years as an interventionist, family recovery specialist, counselor, and administrator. Mr. Nielsen is a nationally known speaker and writer who has been published in numerous industry specific magazines. 
Deeply entrenched in the industry, Mr. Nielsen is currently on the editorial board for Counselor Magazine and is the co-chair for the criminal justice credential for the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). He is on the advisory board for the American Addiction Treatment Association (AATA) and chair of the workforce development group for the Youth Advisory Group(YAG) with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). 
Mr. Nielsen is a Marriage Family Therapist Intern (IMF), with a Master of Arts in counseling psychology from the Western Institute for Social Research (WISR), Berkley, California. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in business management from University of Phoenix, Rancho Cordova, California. He also received an Associate of Arts in human services (counseling) from Folsom Lake College, Placerville, California. 

Location:
Season 52
789 West Harbor Drive Suite 134
San Diego, CA 92101
 
 
 
 
 

*There is a $25 registration fee, but all attendees will receive a $25 American Express gift card at the conclusion of the event.
Registration is required to attend; seating is limited.