This was recently posted on the Australian list, Update. Apologies for any cross-posting but I thought that EFTC members would be interested in hearing the plans for our sister organisation's conference:

The ATCA 2012 Symposium in Launceston is now only 2 weeks away! We have a fantastic program and invite any who have not yet registered to do so. The program includes presentations of tremendous importance to our field and can be seen on the ATCA website at www.atca.com.au Also on the website is the registration form and hotel booking form (which should be returned directly to the Hotel Grand Chancellor).

We are also delighted to announce our special guest and Symposium opener – Ronnie Burns. Over forty years in the entertainment industry in Australia has seen Ronnie Burns emerge as a household name in many areas of television and ‘live’ entertainment. His talents surfaced in the pop recordings of the 60’s & 70’s, stage acting - and he has appeared on almost all major television shows throughout Australia since 1963. Married to wife Maggie for over 45 years, they now live in the north/west highlands of Tasmania building a respite, healing and integrated learning centre for children disadvantaged or traumatized through serious illness and grief throughout Australia. Appin Hall Children’s Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation with a vision (principle) for the protection and wellbeing of Australian children. Ronnie and Maggie’s extensive background supports this vision through the healing modalities of music, singing, dance and visual arts.

On Tuesday, Dr Nicole Lee and Mark Lamont will both address the area of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). Brain impairment affects around 2% of the population but rates are substantially higher among people who use alcohol and other drugs (AOD) and those in populations where AOD use is high such as prisons. Nicole will outline what we know about this group, including prevalence, type and impact of impairment, and the implications for service provision. Ways to identify people with brain impairment entering TCs and other AOD services, issues about suitability and modification of treatment options and the outcomes that can be reasonably expected will be discussed, especially in the context of the increase in the use of cognitive therapies, including the new wave cognitive therapies like mindfulness based approaches, in the TC environment.

Mark will follow with a presentation that particularly looks at issues of identity and stigma for those with physical, psychological, or mental disabilities, ex-prisoners, indigenous people, people from ethnic minorities, and people with different sexual preferences and orientations who collectively represent a large percentage of the population. In therapeutic contexts the stress of managing this identity change can conflict with other therapeutic goals and potentially stall progress.

On Wednesday Rodney Croome will look at the issue of homophobia, mental health and the value of inclusion, emphasising that discrimination, prejudice and stigma put the mental health of LGBTI people at risk and increase their rate of alcohol and drug misuse. Connie Donato-Hunt will look at finding the right help, examining the barriers and pathways to treatment for culturally diverse clients. People experiencing drug use and mental health issues face significant barriers and stigma in accessing specialist care. For those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds pathways to accessing appropriate care can be further complicated by additional cultural and language barriers. This presentation will examine the stigma, barriers and pathways to care for people from CALD backgrounds in accessing help for problematic drug use.

Also on Wednesday we will discuss the important role of research in the AOD field and therapeutic communities in particular, with a presentation by Dr Richard Chenhall and Dr Peter Kelly – whose presentation will discuss research related to understanding resident progress in Therapeutic Communities through the application of theory-based assessment processes. This presentation will be based on longitudinal data that has been collected from The Salvation Army Recovery Service Centres (Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory) and Banyan House (Northern Territory).

Our final keynote speaker for the Symposium is Dr David Best, who will address the notion of a social movement for addiction recovery and its likely impact on the perceptions of professionals as well as the general public and will discuss risks and problems associated with public promotion of individual recovery. The paper will also address ‘political’ issues around strength-based and social models of addiction and recovery and how this is likely to influence funding and engagement with recovery as a public health initiative.

In addition, we are pleased to announce the acceptance into the Symposium program of a further 23 peer reviewed papers which address the themes of:

· Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander substance use,
· Correctional Populations
· Young People
· Working with Families
· People with Unmet Needs

The Symposium theme of Stigma, and other Barriers to Treatment is immensely important. Please join us in Launceston.

 


R. Yates
Senior Research Fellow
Scottish Addiction Studies
School of Applied Social Science
University of Stirling
Scotland
 
T: +44 (0) 1786-467737
F: +44 (0) 1786-466299
W: http://www.dass.stir.ac.uk/sections/showsection.php?id=4 (home)
W: http://www.drugslibrary.stir.ac.uk/ (online library)
W: http://roryyates.bandcamp.com (Wrestling With Demons: Four Songs of Addiction & Recovery)
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