2013 CAADAC/CFAAP 33rd Annual Conference: The Premier Conference for Addiction-Focused Treatment Professionals
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It’s hard to believe, but conference time is fast approaching. Scheduled October 3 to October 6, 2013, this year’s conference will convene in the beautifully restored historic public market building situated in the heart of downtown Sacramento. We are proud to welcome Robert J. Meyers, PhD—published author and internationally known speaker and trainer with over 37 years of experience in the field of addiction—as our pre-conference presenter.
Dr. Meyers has trained therapists from six of the world’s seven continents and published over 100 scientific articles. Currently the director of Robert J. Meyers, PhD and Associates and a research associate professor emeritus in psychology at the University of New Mexico’s Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addiction, he has been involved in over a dozen clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health.
In 1976, Dr. Meyers began his work with the Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA)—an approach created by prominent behavioral researcher Nate Azrin that uses environmental reinforcement to assist individuals in the recovery process. Dr. Meyers assisted in the development of the first CRA outpatient procedures used in the seminal study published by Dr. Nathan Azrin and his colleagues in 1982.
Changing course, Dr. Meyers accepted a position as program director of University of New Mexico’s Alcohol and Drug Division. It was there that he and William Miller, PhD, began collaboration on the first CRA project, ultimately creating the research division known as the Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions at the university. This collaboration led to a number of randomized clinical trials of CRA, from which evidence of effectiveness has catapulted the approach into the top ranks of evidence-based programs. In the late 1990s, Dr. Meyers helped design and evaluate A-CRA, the adolescent version of CRA.
Notably featured in Oprah magazine for his outstanding work using Community Reinforcement Approach, Dr. Meyers’ most recent accomplishment is the development of an evidence-based protocol called Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT)—the new, innovative intervention program used to engage resistant substance abusers who enter treatment. Shown to be superior in several randomized clinical trials to more traditional interventions, CRAFT was one of the 14 featured segments on the Emmy Award-winning HBO series Addiction.
Along with our featured guest, we have a number of other surprises in store. This year, we have put Karaoke out to pasture to introduce to you a new Political Action Committee (PAC) fundraiser, featuring some of the wittiest comedians you have ever seen west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
One of the comedians in our line-up is Bob Murphy, a regular in San Diego—performing at various improve venues and comedy clubs—who has been doing comedy on and off for more than 30 years. He has performed locally on San Diego’s Kill Them with Comedy and nationally on Comedy Central. While working closely with Laughing at the Moon Productions, Bob continues to perform at various 12-Step recovery oriented conventions, among other things.
The headliner for our PAC fundraiser comedy show is Dave Dubroff. With fellow comic Mark Lundholm’s guidance, Dave got his start in comedy over twenty years ago, shorty after seeking recovery from a lifetime of drug and alcohol abuse. Within a year, Dave was on his way, headlining various recovery-focused venues around the country. After a five-year absence from comedy to focus on several debilitating health problems that have left him unable to walk without assistance from a walker, Dave pushed back, challenging all who have ever felt like giving up to keep moving forward, one day and a time.
Dave has inspired countless audience members faced with similar obstacles to follow their dreams no matter how rocky their path might be. In refusing to work in any establishment that supplies drugs or alcohol, Dave continues to drive this message home. We are listening!
This year’s PAC event is sure to be a big hit. You will definitely want to show up early on October 3! CAADAC’s traditional preconference is now an all day event, and the regular conference now starts that night.
Conference Highlights:
- 2013 President’s Dinner, Dance and Awards Ceremony
- 2013 Board Nominations Submitted and Announced
- Preconference Presenter Robert Meyers, PhD
Keynote and Plenary Speakers:
- David Mee-Lee, MD
- Julia Ross, LCSW
- Jeff Jay, Clinical Interventionist
- Ronald Mah, MFT
Continuing Education Credits For: CAADAC, NAADAC, NBCC, CA BBS, NY: OASAS, CA BRN, NASW, CAARR and CAADE.
Remember that this is not only a night of fun, but also a great chance to do your part by giving to our Political Action Committee to help CAADAC be a more effective legislative voice.
I am very excited to have such a phenomenal presenter at our conference this year, and I am looking forward to seeing you there! For more information contact visit www.caadac.org.
Pete Nielsen is the President and Chief Executive Officer for the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP), CCAPP Credentialing, CCAPP Education Institute and the Behavioral Health Association of Providers (BHAP), and Publisher of Counselor Magazine
CCAPP is the largest statewide consortium of addiction programs and professionals, and the only one representing all modalities of substance use disorder treatment programs. BHAP is the leading and unifying voice of addiction-focused treatment programs nationally.
Mr. Nielsen has worked in the substance use disorders field for 20 years. In addition to association management, he brings to the table experience as an interventionist, family recovery specialist, counselor, administrator, and educator, with positions including campus director, academic dean, and instructor.
Mr. Nielsen is the secretary of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium, and the publisher for Counselor magazine. He is a nationally known speaker and writer published in numerous industry-specific magazines. Mr. Nielsen holds a Master of Arts in counseling psychology and a Bachelor of Science in business management.
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Counselor Magazine is the official publication of the California Association of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP). Counselor offers online continuing education, article archives, subscription deals, and article submission guidelines. It has been serving the addiction field for more than thirty years.
For more information on CCAPP’s many programs, certifications, and career paths, please visit ccapp.us.