Join us on September 9-11 for the Addiction Research & Clinical Health (ARCH) Symposium - Making the Connection: Exploring the Intersectionality of Social Justice and Addiction Care. The ARCH Symposium is unique in that it brings together professionals and experts from several different fields—from physicians and public health experts to counselors and journalists—to take a broader look at addiction care and the many systems involved. Oftentimes, the topics of addiction and recovery focus solely on the individual and overlook the many systems that individuals interact with and how these systems can work with—but more often against—someone seeking care for their substance use.

We’ve all been through a lot lately. As we continue to persevere, let’s remember to make mental health a priority. Problems with mental health are very common in the United States, with an estimated 50% of all Americans diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime.

"Great coverage of topic areas for practitioners and researchers who work to prevent substance use disorders." - Previous Symposium Attendee

Register today to join us on September 9-11, 2021 for the 3rd Annual Addiction Research & Clinical Health (ARCH) Symposium via Live Webinar. This year's Addiction Research & Clinical Health Symposium aims to share evidence-based treatments across the spectrum of addiction care, as well as spotlight innovative methods that are shaping the field.

Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. During May, Northwest AHEC joins the national movement to raise awareness about mental health.

Now more than ever we need to find ways to stay connected with our community. No one should feel alone or without information, support and help they need. Mental health conditions are more common than you might realize — they affect about 20% of people living in the U.S.

There are a multitude of medications used to treat mental health. This lecture will review best practices from pharmacotherapy clinics for patients with mental health conditions.

Objectives
Identify treatment strategies for depression, anxiety and mood disorders, review drug interactions and common side effects of commonly used psychiatric drugs, and discuss the role of psychopharmaceuticals in practice.

Speaker: Julienne Kirk, PharmD, BCPS is a pharmacist and Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner. She has held a faculty position as Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine for the past 29 years. She teaches pharmacotherapy and psychopharmacology to family medicine residents. 

Read all about this upcoming program and register here!

Join us for this LIVE WEBINAR on May 11th, 8:30am-12:45pm. This 4 hour presentation will review concepts and programs for suicide prevention for children and adolescents. According to recent national data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), almost 32% of high school teens experienced “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” and 17% reported having “serious suicidal thoughts” during the previous 12 months. Though only a small percentage of teens reported making a suicide attempt requiring medical intervention during the previous year (2.4%), undetected or untreated sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts can fester.

National Walking Day is every year on the first Wednesday in April. National Walking Day is exactly as it sounds – a day to celebrate the easiest way to be the healthiest version of you. Walking for thirty to sixty minutes per day may sound like it isn’t much, but studies have shown that it can drastically improve your health and even help prevent ailments such as type II diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. 

We hear the term health coach more and more these days so I wanted to explore the role of the health coach in this blog post. A health coach is a coach for people who want to or who are contemplating making behavioral changes that result in a healthier lifestyle. A health coach is a type of healthcare extender trained to help others set goals and be accountable for themselves as they begin a journey to improve their overall health and quality of life.

"The Cypher offers a training experience like none other! Our conversations not only explore the intersection between hip hop and mental health, but we also foster rich conversation on a number of relevant topics within the world. Participating in The Cypher trainings provides folks with practical tools, but also exposes them to an unforgettable presentation that transcends the traditional training experience." - Speaker Andrew Watkins, MSW, LCSWA discusses what the training will provide for participants

I recently connected with Jeremy Moseley, the Director of Community Engagement of FaithHealth, to discuss the mission and their ministries. Their mission is to build, align and animate religious and community assets to improve access to health care and the health of the community - a mission that aligns well with Northwest AHEC's.