Part 1: Substance Use Assessments: Platforms for Change with Kynan Cliff

Recorded 22nd October 2021: (60 day recording access)

Structural issues such as stigma and a fractured and under-resourced service system limit access to quality, evidence-based and effective care for this vulnerable client population. The assessment process represents an opportunity for clinicians to have curious conversations with clients; explore the function of their substance use; and open up conversations about change.

This 1-hour webinar provides an introduction to working with people who use substances, with a focus on the screening and assessment process. Drawing on evidence-based practices and clinical experience, Kynan aims to build clinicians’ knowledge, skills and confidence to conduct a quality substance use assessment – which can be a therapeutic intervention in itself.

Kynan Cliff is a senior social worker practicing in the fields of mental health, substance use, and childhood trauma. He is experienced in providing individual, group-based and family-inclusive interventions for adults in community and inpatient settings. Working in a clinical leadership role, Kynan values opportunities to support the capacity of interdisciplinary teams to work lovingly and effectively with people who use substances and their families. His passion for professional education has seen him develop and facilitate a range of learning experiences for clinicians within the public health system, private / non-government sector, and for undergraduate students at University of Newcastle.

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Part 2: Pharmacotherapies in Addiction Medicine with Dr Craig Sadler

Recorded 29th October 2021, 2pm - 3pm AEDT (Includes 60 day recording access)

In the treatment of addiction, medications are used to reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms, reduce alcohol and other drug cravings, and reduce the likelihood of use or relapse for specific drugs by blocking their effect. The primary goal of medication-assisted treatment is for the patient to achieve fully-sustained remission.

This webinar will provide and overview of the latest evidence-based pharmocotherapies used in:

• Managing substance withdrawal;
• Managing alcohol dependence including Acamprosate / naltrexone / disulfiram / other potential pharmacotherapies for alcohol.
• Managing Opioid addiction including Methadone and buprenorphine including depot formulations
• Dr Sadler will also discuss novel and evolving pharmacotherapies for other drugs.

Dr Craig Sadler is a Senior Staff Specialist Addiction Medicine; the Director Alcohol and Drug Unit / Withdrawal Services at the Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle, NSW part of Hunter New England Local Health District. He is also a Visiting Medical Officer Addiction Medicine Western NSW Local Health District and a Conjoint Senior Lecturer University of Newcastle.

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Part 3: Overview of Key Evidence-Based & Trauma-Informed Therapeutic Treatment & Practice for Drug and Alcohol Clinical Care with Dr Natasha Perry

Recorded 5th November 2021, 2pm - 3pm AEDT (Includes 60 day recording access)

This webinar will provide an overview of key evidence based therapeutic treatments and trauma informed practice for drug and alcohol clinical care. Natasha will address the challenges of targeting treatment to a diverse population group from mild problems with substances through to severe substance use disorders, maintaining a focus on patient factors beyond diagnostics. The importance of treatment processes fundamental to any drug and alcohol treatment will be described, targeting client engagement, retention in therapy and substance use outcomes. The webinar will also mention therapeutic considerations for mental health comorbidity and specific population groups. The presentation will be embedded with reflective exercises throughout, and a list of resources will also be provided for further learning. 

Dr Natasha Perry is a Senior Clinical and Health Psychologist and works as a Clinical Leader in Drug and Alcohol Clinical Services, Hunter New England Local Health District. In her role, she utilises her clinical experience and expertise to lead initiatives that aim to improve the quality of care for people accessing the health service. She completed her Doctor of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Newcastle, where she is a Clinical Lecturer for the School of Psychology, College of Engineering, Science and Environment. Natasha is a member of the small expert reference group for the NSW Health Drug and Alcohol Psychosocial Interventions Professional Practice Guidelines due to publication later this year. She has previously undertaken clinical research and delivered treatment programs to improve the quality of life for people who use substances. Throughout her career, Natasha has written scientific journal articles, co-written textbook chapters and has had her work presented at several national and international conferences. She was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2016 which took her to on an extensive worldwide trip investigating the effectiveness of treatment programs for young people with substance use problems and related complexities. Natasha likes to work from a reflective practice and trauma informed bio-psycho-socio-cultural framework and is passionate about integrating theory and evidence into practice and tailoring treatment to clients’ individual needs.

Outside of work, she enjoys drawing, food, travel and has a newfound passion biophilic design for wellness. Natasha is currently on maternity leave with her two boys and happily spends her time at parks, playing with trucks and making sandcastles.

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Part 4: Motivational Interviewing with Dr Kylie Bailey

Recorded 12th November 2021, 2pm - 3pm AEDT (Includes 60 day recording access)

Motivational interviewing is an essential and evidence-based tool that all health professionals need to learn so that they can maximise appointment times and improve treatment outcomes. Motivational interviewing is applied in therapy sessions, brief interventions and is effective in short appointment times, busy wards, pharmacy settings and emergency departments. This therapy approach emphasises the importance of listening to the patient and hearing their reasons for change and working through the barriers to achieving their goals. This webinar aims to provide you with an understanding of motivational interviewing, how it can help you and review the core skills that you can practice in supervision and with your patients.

Dr Kylie Bailey is a senior clinical psychologist who has worked in the alcohol and other drug (AOD) and mental health area for over 20 years and is an honorary clinical senior lecturer with the School of Psychology, University of Newcastle. Kylie successfully introduced, built, and managed a new AOD psychology service into a primary health care service that covers regional and rural areas. Kylie is employed at a Mental Health and Substance Use Service as well as a practising clinician who has designed, implemented, and leads an AOD capacity building workforce program for clinical psychologists. Kylie led the Master of Health Science (AOD) program at the University of Newcastle for 18 years, developing and teaching AOD to health professionals and medical students, and supervised master/PhD students. In this role, she received Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) merit award for Teaching and Learning Excellence. Kylie has also developed and delivered many AOD training packages (online/workshops, eg, NSW Ministry of Health, the Hunter New England Central Coast PHN), webinars and AOD health promotion strategies. She is a member of five AOD and clinical council/research committees and shapes AOD health education/training in her local area, nationally and internationally (i.e. university). Kylie has over 30 publications ranging from treatment manuals to systematic reviews and evidence checks. Her research interests focus on implementation science for mental health and AOD treatments and service delivery. 

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Part 5: Relapse Prevention with Dr Julian Keats

Recorded 19th November 2021, 2pm - 3pm AEDT (Includes 60 day recording access)

Addiction is often described as a chronic relapsing and remitting disorder in which patients fluctuate between periods of heavier and more problematic substance use and periods of more controlled substance use, including abstinence for some. The challenges of preventing and/or managing relapse are therefore a core component of the long-term treatment approach needed for substance use disorders.

Dr Julian Keats MBBS FAChAM is a specialist in addiction medicine and a Fellow of the Australasian Chapter of Addiction Medicine within the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

He has over 10 years’ experience working in public sector drug and alcohol services in Hobart, Tasmania, and Newcastle, NSW, and since 2018 he has been working in the non-government sector providing bulk-billed private addiction medicine specialist services for community outpatients at Drug & Alcohol Health Services in Muswellbrook and residential rehabilitation inpatients at WHOS (We Help Our Selves) Hunter Valley therapeutic community in Cessnock.

Dr Keats has also produced a short podcast series titled ‘Addiction in Simple Terms’ that helps patients, families and healthcare providers alike to better understand some of the fundamental issues in addiction.

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Part 6: Substance-Induced Psychosis with Dr Tarun Yadav

Recorded 26th November 2021, 2pm - 3pm AEDT (Includes 60 day recording access)

This webinar will provide a thorough overview of Substance-Induced Psychosis, including epidemiology; neurobiology, Clinical formulation to differentiate from other disorders and a thorough summary of the latest evidence-based treatment recommendations. This webinar is a must for anyone working with substance addiction and dependence.

Dr Tarun Yadav is a Fellow of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry with special interest in Addiction. He has been working part time as a Specialist with Drug and Alcohol Services in Hunter New England Local Health District along with being Conjoint Lecturer at Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle and in private Practice. He was also a specialist with Black Dog Institute Mood disorder clinic.

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