2011 National Multicultural Conference & Summit

January 27-28, 2011
Seattle, WA

Sponsored by the American Psychological Association, numerous APA Divisions & many organizations. From the UW: Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute, Indigenous Wellness Research Center.

With the theme Unification Through Diversity: Bridging Psychological Science and Practice in the Public Interest, NMCS will highlight key contributions from science and practice that have benefitted our diverse society and promoted human welfare. At the same time,  differences among psychologists that have acted as barriers will be acknowledged so thay may be overcome.   By combining the resources of scientists and practitioners, psychology will benefit from scientifically-sound and culturally-sensitive theory, research, practice, and training, which in turn will benefit society.  From the UW, Ana Mari Cauce (Arts & Sciences) will provide a keynote address; Anthony Greenwald (Psychology) is an invited speaker; and Lisa R. Thomas (Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute) is Fundraising & Keynotes Coordinator and local host.

4th Biennial INIHKD Conference
May 24-28, 2010
Poulsbo, WA

Sponsored by International Network of Indigenous Health Knowledge & Development, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Indigenous Wellness Research Center (UW), and Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (UW), and more

The INIHKD is an international assembly of indigenous health researchers, scholars, policymakers, and health practitioners dedicated to improving the health of indigenous peoples in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States through communityled health research, culturally-based health services delivery, indigenous health workforce development, and indigenous health policy advancement. Objectives of the 2010 conferences were to: Build indigenous research capacity and health workforce; Develop innovative research partnerships; Facilitate sharing of innovative, traditional, and contemporary indigenous health research knowledges, especially with respect to evidenced-based “best and promising practices” and culturally-grounded interventions; Identify successful indigenous health policy solutions; and Share ethical indigenous-based research protocols and methodologies. ADAI Research Scientist Lisa Rey Thomas was a keynote speaker at the 2010 meeting; Dennis Donovan and Leonardo Estacio presented posters at the conference.

Great Wolf Lodge, Centralia, WA
September 8-11, 2009

Sponsored by Washington's Mental Health Transformation Project, American Indian Health Commission of Washington State, Indian Policy Advisory Committee, National Center on Minority Health and Health
Disparities, and the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (UW)

Mental health issues have a profound impact on families in Washington state and across the nation. This conference provided attendees with an excellent opportunity to discuss current research, best practices, and targeted solutions to improve mental health services and outcomes in tribal communities.

2009 Clinical Practices Research Symposium: "Useful Tools and Methods from the CTN"

Portland, OR
June 3-4, 2009

Co-sponsored by Oregon-Hawaii Node and Pacific Northwest Node of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN), and the NW Frontier Addiction Technology Transfer Center (NFATTC).

This science‐based symposium provides an opportunity for clinicians, counselors, supervisors and administrators to learn about addiction treatment interventions and their implementation. Each day features a plenary session plus a selection of workshops. The Clinical Track presents descriptions of science‐based practices while the Administrative/Supervisory Track focuses on issues related to the effective adoption and sustainability of the practice. Several researchers and clinicians from the PNW Node (ADAI) participated in planning and presenting this symposium.

Stepping into the Future:  30th Annual SALIS Conference

May 6-9, 2008
Seattle, WA

Sponsored by Substance Abuse Librarians & Information Specialsists and
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (UW)

This 3-day conference, with the theme of "Stepping into the Future," brought together over fifty participants from the field of substance abuse information for presentations on emerging technologies and how they are changing the management and dissemination of information. Theme areas included: Library and Web 2.0 (How can we use the new technologies of blogs, RSS, wikis, and social networking to serve users in more effective ways? How can SALIS libraries and RADAR or other information centers implement these resources?); Engaging our Communities (We serve multitudes of user communities -- researchers, media, clinicians, the public. What can we learn from them? How can we connect better with our various communities and update our services to meet their changing needs?); and Looking into the Future: The Next 30 Years (Where do we go from here? In an environment of diminishing support for traditional information services, how can we adapt to lean times and still maintain our vital roles in the addiction and information arenas).

May 5-6, 2008
Poulsbo, WA

Sponsored by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (UW), Indian Policy Advisory Committee and the American Indian Health Commission of Washington State

This important and unique one and one-half day conference was convened at Kiana Lodge (owned by the Suquamish Tribe) and brought together 148 American Indian and Alaska Native attendees, those who work with and for Native communities, and academic researchers in Washington State. Two panel presentations provided important information about culturally competent clinical approaches for working with AIAN clients and for conducting ethical, respectful, and effective research with Native Communities. Five breakout sessions addressed health disparity and health promotion topics of greatest concern to AIAN communities in Washington. A local Indigenous Song and Dance group presented culturally grounded and traditional knowledge regarding good cultural health. A conference report has been produced (appended) which summarizes health disparity issues of greatest concern to Native communities in Washington State; culturally grounded and community based health promotion programs that build on Indigenous knowledge and practices; and guidelines for research in Indian Country. A comprehensive conference proceedings report will be completed soon and disseminated to AIAN communities, leaders, and agencies as well as to academic researchers, policy makers, and other key individuals involved in culturally competent health. A Final Report, including recommendations and future steps may be downloaded at: http://adai.washington.edu/tribalconference/Report2008.pdf

Blending Addiction Science & Practice: Bridges to the Future

October 16-17, 2006
Seattle, WA

Sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (UW) and Oregon Health & Science University

This two-day event, the 6th in a series of NIDA Blending conferences, brought together 900 clinicians and researchers from the Northwest and other states to examine cutting-edge scientific findings about drug abuse and addiction and their application to clinical practice. Five plenary presentations and 24 breakout sessions addressed topics including treatment approaches for women, adolescents, criminal justice populations, neurobiology of addiction, and evidence-based practices. A special feature was the preview of new Blending Products developed from the NIDA Clinical Trials Network in collaboration with CSAT's Addiction Technology Transfer Centers.

October 26, 2004
Seattle, WA

Sponsored by The Hazelden Foundation and the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (UW)

This one-day research forum featured presentations about national and local drug trends, as well as current community-based substance abuse treatment research in Washington state. It provided a forum for sharing addiction research with policy makers and professionals from the fields of addiction treatment, public health, education, and law enforcement. The afternoon session focused on the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN), with findings from some of the early studies in the CTN.   

July 19-24, 2004
Seattle, WA

Sponsored by the University of Washington School of Nursing, Continuing Nursing Education; Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute; Health Sciences/UW Medicine News & Community Relations, and the Northwest Frontier Addiction Technology Transfer Center

This one-week summer institute explored the intersection of addiction and mental illness in adolescents with a focus on the neuroscience of addiction, current drugs of abuse, research-based approaches to the assessment and treatment of substance abuse and mental illness, and strategies for prevention and education. Attendees included 120 chemical dependency professionals, social workers, nurses, psychologists, educators, and others who work with adolescents.

July 7-18, 2003
Seattle, WA

Partners: University of Washington School of Nursing, School of Medicine, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, Health Sciences and Medical Affairs News and Community Relations, and the Pacific Science Center, Group Health Cooperative, and the Washington Association for Biomedical Research

Addiction: Highjacking the Brain was a two-week Summer Institute to teach the neurobiology of addiction. It was the latest in a series of professional training and public education activities supported by a Science Education Partnership grant to the UW School of Nursing from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.  

December 1-3, 2002
Seattle, WA

Sponsored by the Harm Reduction Coalition, Public Health Seatle-King County, Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (UW), Addictive Behaviors Research Center (UW), Evergreen Treatment Services, many national & local partners

More than 1500 advocates, researchers, service providers and drug users gathered at "Taking Drug Users Seriously" December 1-4, 2002 at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Towers. This was the fourth national conference of the Harm Reduction Coalition (HRC), an organization that promotes the health of drug users by offering sane, effective, life-saving alternatives to the War on Drugs. Former U.S. Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders delivered a keynote speech on December 1st, World AIDS Day, and Dr. Alonzo L. Plough, of Seattle-King County Public Health, addressed the group on December 2nd, saying that although politicians and law enforcement authorities have "come a long way," the local methadone program is "woefully underfunded" and needle-exchange programs are overwhelmed. The conference also featured the rarely heard voices of ordinary people whose families and communities have been devastated by the War on Drugs.

November 30, 2002
Seattle, WA

Sponsored by the University of Washington Addictive Behaviors Research Center, Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute, and the School of Social Work

This one-day program on Harm Reduction activities in the Pacific Northwest was held the day prior to the National Harm Reduction conference. Approximately 150 attendees heard presentations on: Overview and history of harm reduction; Policy and legal perspectives on harm reduction; Pacific Northwest programs implementing harm reduction techniques; Research evaluating harm reduction techniques; Harm reduction with special populations such as homeless adults, college students, and Native Americans; and Harm reduction and HIV/AIDS.

September 5, 2001
University of Washington

Sponsored by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism and the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (UW)

Harold Perl, Ph.D., Chief, Health Services Branch, NIAAA made a presentation to UW researchers about current opportunities and priorities for research grant support from NIAAA's Health Services Research Branch. Dr. Perl also provided information on NIAAA and NIH funding mechanisms and offered technical assistance on preparing viable grant applications.

June 25, 2001
University of Washington

Sponsored by the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (UW) and the Innovative Programs Research Group (UW)

Presented by: Jan Copeland, Ph.D. and Wendy Swift, Ph.D., both lecturers from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. This lecture outlined epidemiological data on the prevalence and patterns of cannabis use, including cannabis use disorder in Australian juveniles. Drs. Copeland and Swift also discussed a number of research projects being conducted in community and juvenile justice settings, including studies on perceptions of cannabis-related harms among secondary school students and two projects utilizing brief motivational and cognitive-behavioral interventions among adolescent cannabis users.

April 23-24, 2001
Federal Way, WA

Sponsored by the Northwest Frontier Addiction Technology Transfer Center and the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (UW)

This two-day training was delivered to Washington State substance abuse treatment providers about evidence-based treatment interventions. It was part of a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, looking at the ways substance abuse treatment programs learn about new ideas in the field and adopt them.

February 22, March 1, March 8, 2001
University of Washington

Sponsored by the UW School of Nursing and the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (UW)

This 3-day series of lectures on the effects of addiction on the human brain. Presentations included: "The Brain's Reward System" (Akira Horita, Ph.D.), "Stimulants: Physical and Behavioral Effects" (David Scratchley, Ph.D.), "Stimulants and the Juvenile Justice System" (Mathew Gardner), and "Emotional Regulation Techniques" (Jennifer Sayers, Ph.D.). Five CE units were available for counselors and social workers who attended all the lectures in the series.

January 18, 2001
University of Washington

Presented by Andrey E. Ryabinin, M.D., Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral Neuroscience at Oregon Health Sciences University. Dr. Ryabinin discussed his study on the use of immediate early gene (IEG) expression to identify brain regions changing their activity as a result of alcohol adminstration in animals, in an attempt to further understanding of alcohol's mechanisms of action. Results of the study suggest that these mechanisms are radically different from those of other drugs of abuse.

September 5, 2000
Uniersity of Washington

Co-sponsored with the Innovative Programs Research Group (UW)

Presented by Wayne Hall, Ph.D., Professor and Executive Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Center, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. This lecture focused on polarized opinions commonly influencing the debate about cannabis policy. Professor Hall also discussed cannabis policy in Australia and internationally, with an emphasis on identifying a way forward in the shaping of laws concerning this drug. View PowerPoint slides from the lecture.

January 13-14, 2000
Seattle, WA

Co-sponsored with The Lindesmith Center (now Drug Policy Alliance)

ADAI and The Lindesmith Center collaborated on organizing and hosting this international conference on heroin overdose prevention. This two-day meeting brought more than 400 attendees from the Pacific Northwest, with national and international participants. Conference agenda and abstracts

November 10, 1999
Seattle, WA

Co-sponsored with the National Institute on Drug Abuse

This meeting attracted an audience of 600 participants involved in drug abuse treatment, research, and policy. The Town Meeting was a day-long series of presentations of current knowledge about addiction treatment and research. ADAI assisted NIDA in the planning and publicity for the meeting and several ADAI Scientists and Research Affiliates made presentations at the event. Highlights from the Town Meeting

September 3-5, 1997
University of Washington

Sponsored by the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (UW), National Institute on Drug Abuse, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

This workshop brought together 120 participants from throughout the Western states. Researchers presented epidemiological and ethnographic findings on the substance use and sexual behavior of men who have sex with men (MSM), with the goal of gaining insight into the characteristics and behavioral tendencies that make MSM more vulnerable to substance abuse and more prone to engage in behaviors which place them at higher risk for HIV transmission. Following the research presentations, participants divided into work groups to identify concepts and assumptions about the targeted population which require further research, and to recommend action items for the implementation of a research agenda. Recommendations are summarized in the conference proceedings.