October PD opportunities

A list of some of the professional development opportunities available in October


Write – presentations and papers

8th Australasian Drug and Alcohol Strategy Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, 2-5 May 2017.

Call for Abstracts
The overall theme of ADASC 2017 is Influencing Attitudes - how can thinking and behaviour towards alcohol and drug use be changed?
Both the Australian and New Zealand national drug policies recognise the critical importance of building partnerships between health and law enforcement sectors and engaging all levels and parts of government and non-government sectors and the community.
ADASC 2017 seeks to strengthen the partnerships between law enforcement, health practitioners, academics and policy makers at a local, national and international level; bringing people together to examine, review, assess, share and learn from each other.
Submission due: 7 October
http://event.icebergevents.com.au/adasc2017/call-for-abstracts
 

Read – professional reading

Nathan, S., Rawstorne, P., Hayen, A., Bryant, J., Baldry, E., Ferry, M., ... & Jayasinha, R. (2016). Examining the pathways for young people with drug and alcohol dependence: a mixed-method design to examine the role of a treatment programme. BMJ open, 6(5), e010824.

http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/5/e010824.full

Lee, K. K., Dawson, A. J., & Conigrave, K. M. (2016). Insights into the effective management of support groups for Aboriginal Australian women with substance use disorders. Society, Health & Vulnerability, 7.

http://www.societyhealthvulnerability.net/index.php/shv/article/view/29474

Degenhardt, L., Sara, G., McKetin, R., Roxburgh, A., Dobbins, T., Farrell, M., ... & Hall, W. D. (2016). Crystalline methamphetamine use and methamphetamine‐related harms in Australia. Drug and Alcohol Review.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.12426/full
 

Attend – informal learning sessions, journal club, seminar series

Journal club (available to Healthy Options workers only)

Internal professional development session held in the Annerley boardroom and via Skype meeting.
October’s journal club will be presented by DAAR Brisbane.
The article we’ll be looking at is:
Femke T.A. Buisman-Pijlman, Nicole M. Sumracki, Jake J. Gordon, Philip R. Hull, C. Sue Carter, Mattie Tops. Individual differences underlying susceptibility to addiction: Role for the endogenous oxytocin system. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 2014; 119: 22  DOI:10.1016/j.pbb.2013.09.005
Date: 10^th October, 12.30pm AEST
 

Attend - conferences

Mental Health Super Summit

Over 18 days from Thursday 6th October until Sunday 23rd October 2016, Australia’s leading mental health professional development provider in collaboration with the Act for Kids charity is hosting the 2016 Mental Health Super Summit.   The Summit will be delivered via 20 live webinar sessions from Thursday 6th October to Sunday 9th October, and will continue as an on-demand event (i.e. you can watch recorded versions of the live sessions) until Sunday 23rd October.
Date: 6^th – 23^rd October
Cost: You decide what to pay from as little as $50
https://www.mentalhealthacademy.com.au/summit/2016/
 

Listen – podcasts, webinars

Dovetail Video: Universal Harm Reduction Advice

Harm reduction is a key underlying principle of working with young people who use alcohol and other drugs. While there are a range of substance specific harm reduction practices, there are also a number of standard pieces of harm reduction advice that is relevant for any young person, regardless of the substance they might be using.
This video highlights some key principles of providing good harm reduction advice, and some examples of harm reduction advice in practice
Duration – 5mins
https://youtu.be/CXwTDvqsbpA
 
The Science of Social Work
In this episode, Dr. Jeane Anastas and Dr. Cynthia Franklin discuss how the Social Work profession attempts to integrate practice and research. Framing the profession's commitment to evidence-based practice as an ethical and accountability issue, these long-term practitioners and academics look back and then forward at Social Work's response to the science of social work practice. Our guests comment on the factors that complicate practitioners' adoption of evidence-based practices, discuss the struggle for those in the trenches of practice, and acknowledge the professional dynamics that limit social work research and who gets to initiate the questions.
Duration – 40mins
http://www.insocialwork.org/episode.asp?ep=198

MindOUT Webinar: LGBTI People Alcohol and Drugs, and Mental Health

LGBTI people have specific experiences when it comes to alcohol and drug use and mental health.  This webinar will discuss the prevalence of alcohol and drug use amongst LGBTI communities and the vulnerabilities and risk factors leading to problematic use. This webinar will look closely at methamphetamine use among men who have sex with other men and the work VAC is doing to support these communities.
http://lgbtihealth.org.au/resources/mindout-webinar-lgbti-people-alcohol-drugs-mental-health/

Insight Webinars, Wednesdays, 10am AEST

http://insightqld.org/webinars/

Working with HIV in Queensland

Chris Howard, Life+ Program Manager, Queensland Positive People.
Queensland Positive People (QPP) is a peer-based advocacy organisation committed to promoting self-determination and empowerment for all people living with HIV (PLHIV) throughout Queensland. This seminar will provide a brief history of QPP and an outline of the service’s components followed by an overview of current global and local epidemiology of HIV, treatment as prevention and efforts to support attainment of UN targets.
Date: 5^th October

Emergency Department Frequent Presenter Response Project

Debra Harcourt’ Senior Project Officer, Patient Flow Unit, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Frequent attendance at hospital emergency departments may be highlighting a failure to effectively link patients with a range of supports. The ED Frequent Presenters Response Project is assessing which patients are more likely to present for treatment on more than five occasions in a month, with the aim of reducing repeated ED presentations in the future.
Date: 12 October

Understanding Domestic Violence Within the Context of AOD

Dr Deborah Walsh, School of Social Work & Human Services, The University of Queensland
This session will explore the diverse presentations of domestic violence in practice linking this to the problematic definitions that are frequently associated with this issue. The presentation will also discuss why victims stay with violent partners and explore practice opportunities when working with victims and perpetrators.
Date: 19 October

PTSD. Are We Missing It?

Jason Monk, Psychologist, Clinical Improvement Coordinator, Queensland Health
Can we miss seeing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and is it more prevalent than we think? Jason has worked in Mental Health in Bundaberg and Brisbane and has a particular interest PTSD. This presentation looks at how PTSD might occur and develop, what we should be looking for, and what can be done to treat and support people who present with symptoms.
Date: 25 October