In this episode of the Healthcare Insights podcast, you will hear the ground level experiences of two wonderful humans working directly with the unsheltered in Burke County, NC. Alice Horton, Director of the Burke United Christian Ministries and Karen Russell, Director of the HOPE Center share their stories of outreach and the importance of meeting people where they are.

For 16 years, the NC “One Community in Recovery” Conference has served as a powerful gathering of individuals dedicated to fostering recovery, resilience, and advocacy in mental health and substance use. Planned by a statewide committee of behavioral health providers and advocates—many with lived experience—this annual event continues to be a beacon of hope and progress.

This year, from March 5-7, 2025, over 200 participants came together under the theme “Healing Together: Building Stronger Communities.” The conference provided a platform for insightful discussions, innovative strategies, and shared experiences that continue to shape the future of recovery in North Carolina.

Conference Highlights

One of the standout sessions was “Addressing the Connection of Brain Injury, Public Health, and the Legal System in North Carolina” presented by Desireé Gorbea-Finalet of Disability Rights NC. This thought-provoking discussion shed light on how brain injuries intersect with public health and justice systems, emphasizing the need for comprehensive support and policy changes.

The pre-conference session also sparked important dialogue with a panel discussion on “Exploring Alternatives to Involuntary Commitment in North Carolina.” Featuring a diverse group of stakeholders, this session explored real-world challenges and potential solutions to ensure a more person-centered approach in crisis response.

Attendees also had the opportunity to engage in 16 breakout sessions, covering a wide range of recovery-focused topics, and hear from two inspiring keynote speakers:

• Jeff Walker of Wilkes Recovery Revolution, a peer-run Recovery Community Organization in Wilkes County, NC.
• Vesper Moore, an Indigenous activist and mental health rights leader, who spoke on recovery, advocacy, and the importance of elevating lived experiences in policy and practice.

Northwest AHEC invites you to our upcoming Spring Behavioral Health Webinars! Whether you're looking to enhance your clinical practice, support recovery, or deepen your understanding of trauma-informed care, we have valuable sessions for you. Click below for more information on each.

• Microaggression as an Ethical Issue in Clinical Practice - April 1, 2025 from 9AM- 12:15PM - Microaggressions are subtle, often unintentional exchanges that convey negative messages based on race, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability. While clinicians aim to provide culturally sensitive care, unknowingly committing microaggressions can harm communication, erode trust, and disrupt the therapeutic process. Ethical guidelines call for minimizing these occurrences to support effective client relationships. This program explores the impact of microaggressions, their role in clinical practice, and strategies for reducing them. Note: This course may count toward ethics requirements for license renewal. Register Here
  
  
• Practical Suggestions for Facilitating SUD Recovery - April 9, 2025 from 1PM - 3PM - Health professionals often encounter clients or patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). Understanding how to effectively address these complex challenges is critical for providing optimal care. This workshop is designed to offer a comprehensive overview of practical approaches and evidence-based interventions for working with individuals affected by SUDs. Register Here
  
  
• Safety First: Trauma-Informed Care with People Experiencing Substance Use Disorders - May 16, 2025 from 9AM - 12:15PM - Widely demonstrated in the literature on substance use disorders, trauma experienced by the person is a common and primary part of the sequelae leading to addiction. Traumatic life experiences can unfortunately also be a part of a person’s time as a substance user.
  This training will present a brief overview of what constitutes single incident or developmental traumas; what it means to be a trauma-informed practitioner; awareness of vicarious or secondary traumatization and related social worker self-care. Participants will learn how to consider trauma in their approach to working with clients and in their ability to thrive as a practitioner.  Register Here
  
  
• Race-Based Traumatic Stress: Broadening Your Toolkit to Support Diverse Individuals - June 20, 2025 from 9AM - 12:15PM - This session explores race-based traumatic stress and its impact on clients of color. We’ll review the theoretical framework, trauma responses, and resilience strategies while identifying risk and protective factors. Clinicians will enhance cultural competence through interactive learning, self-reflection, and practical skills for sensitive, effective care. Register Here

Understanding Trauma and Substance Abuse: Implications for Practice

Ethical Psychopharmacology is a look at several different aspects of how psychoactive drugs are evaluated, marketed, and promoted by prescribers by looking at issues of transparency, research data, conflict of interest, funding sources and their interests, and informed consent. I will describe the drug approval process through the FDA, history of the DSM and how the diagnostic process has been influenced by money, big Pharma, and conflict of interest. We will look at some clever marketing messages and the difference between marketing and science. 

We have a new learning opportunity from Northwest AHEC called the Podcast Learning Series. Now you can listen to select episodes of our Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina podcast and earn continuing education credits. And it’s free!

The podcast format allows you to listen at your convenience and multitask while listening. I personally like to do my cardio workout or weight training while consuming podcast content, and sometimes find myself listening while cooking, cleaning, or doing yard work. It's a great way to optimize your learning and your life activities.

This first episode in this Podcast Learning Series is on homelessness in Forsyth County. In this episode you will learn about the main causes of homelessness in our region, the services provided by service organizations in Forsyth County, and the challenges of serving the homeless population and finding permanent housing.

Once you have finished the episode you can take the short post-test to receive 1 hour of CE credit. And another bonus is that this is offered to you at no cost aside from your time and attention.

You can link directly to the course, register and listen here: https://northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/courses-and-events/72832/podcast-ce-series-homelessness-in-forsyth-county 

Alternatively, you can listen to Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina wherever you get your podcast content (Spotify, Google, Apple, Soundcloud, etc.). Simply search for "Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina" and look for Episode 87 featuring William McDonald, Director of the Bethesda Center for the Homeless in Winston-Salem, NC. 

Once you have listened you can register for the course, take the post-test and claim your 1 hour CE credit.

I hope you find our episodes timely and relevant to your practice. And finally, if you have a topic or know of a person that you think would be great to have on the podcast, please don’t hesitate to reach out and let me know. I am always looking for interesting topics and presenters to have on the podcast.

How many people in Forsyth county North Carolina are homeless each night? What are the main causes of homelessness? How is the community serving the homeless population? What are the needs in the community for serving the homeless population?

The conference is a place where individuals working and involved in recovery as defined in its broadest terms can share their work and gain support from others involved in the recovery movement. Join us April 27-29, 2022 at The Conference Center at GTCC, Colfax, NC. Register by April 12th for discounted rates!

The conference is a place where individuals working and involved in recovery as defined in its broadest terms can share their work and gain support from others involved in the recovery movement. Join us April 27-29, 2022 at The Conference Center at GTCC, Colfax, NC.