We’re on the move… On January 1st, CAAP will be changing:
Well, it’s been a year since I took over the CAAP presidency and I must say it’s been quite a year. We’ve increased CAAP/NAADAC membership from 120 to over 150 members and we’ve been able to continue to offer excellent trainings for addiction counselors in the state of Connecticut. We helped sponsor the Co-Occurring Recovery Conference and had a table at the Recovery Walk this year. We’re trying to bring CAAP to more addiction professionals around the state and hope to visit agencies and bring information about NAADAC and CAAP to addiction professionals in the workplace. One of my personal goals is to have more students involved in NAADAC/CAAP and we’re hoping to increase our recruitment in this area. To learn more about CAAP and/or NAADAC, who we are and what we can do for you, visit our websites: www.ctaddictionprofessionals.org and www.NAADAC.org.
I have been working with a wonderful and dedicated board of directors over the last year and their dedication has shown me what it really means to have a passion for working in the field of addictions, but more importantly, a dedication to helping those who work in the field of addictions.
As we enter 2008 we are going to again offer our excellent trainings but we will be moving around a bit. From Jan – May we will have our trainings at Manchester Community College. In the fall of 2008, we will have our trainings at the North Haven campus of Gateway Community College.
We’ve also changed our address and phone number. Our office is no longer in Wallingford at the CCB offices. Our new address is: CAAP, P.O. Box 3886, Manchester, CT 06045-3886. Our new phone number is: 203-500-4562.
I’d personally like to thank all of you for your support and appreciation of CAAP/NAADAC and the work it does on behalf of addiction professionals in Connecticut. If any of you would like to become involved with CAAP, please drop me a line at: bkfmcc@cox.net. We always need help with the education and training committee; our marketing and public relations committees; the public policy committee and our involvement in the Recovery Walk, the Co-Occurring Recovery Conference and our annual meeting. Believe me, there’s always something that needs to be done and we need all the volunteers we can get.
If you’re not a current member of NAADAC/CAAP, please go to NAADAC’s website, www.naadac.org and sign up there. Remember, once a member of NAADAC, you’re automatically a member of CAAP
. Sincerely,
Bobbi Fox, President
CT Association for Addiction Professionals
Bills aimed at eliminating the disparity between coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorders and those far more generous benefits for medical conditions passed both the House and Senate in Washington recently due to active work by NAADAC and our allies. In a last minute surprise move, the Senate bill was altered to be more in line with the more liberal (and preferred by us) House bill.
The remaining differences, which are significant, will be addressed in a joint Conference Committee with members from both chambers. That could prove sticky, as the Senate, which worked closely with the insurance industry, states their version is not open to amendment. However, there are still many advantages to the House bill that we don't want to lose. It could come down to the House needing to decide whether to accept the weaker Senate version or scrap parity for this session.
News from the larger public policy front at National is that NAADAC has formally combined with NAATP (National Association of Addiction Treatment Programs) in an equal relationship to give more power to our combined voices. The newly combined Public Policy Committee is in its first few weeks of operating.
NAADAC's legislative priorities for this year have been:
On the state level, CAAP is looking into the possible need to address improving the conditions which returning felons face, particularly those related to restoring citizenship rights. Many in this group served time for non-violent drug-related charges.
If you are interested in working with CAAP -- your professional association on any of these issues, or other public policy issues, contact Roby Rowe, Public Policy Chair, at rrowe@ctaddictionprofessionals.org
"Our country is on the verge of a crisis: an inadequate supply of workers trained in substance abuse treatment... not unlike the nursing shortage, addressed by Congress in the last session" - Therapeutic Communities of America (Workforce Issues Policy Brief).
The Lewin Group, a Maryland-based consulting firm, reports that 5,000 new addiction professionals are needed each year just to replace those who are leaving the field.
"We can not improve services to those with mental health and substance use disorders without an adequate number of appropriately trained, licensed, experienced and fairly compensated professionals."- National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) Executive Director Lewis Gallant, Ph.D., testifying before the Health, Education, Labor, Pensions Subcommittee on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services.
Presentation Proposals due by January 11, 2008
Alexandria, VA - Building on the success of the 2007 Journey Together conference, NAADAC has begun accepting presentation proposals for its 2008 Annual Conference. The 2008 Conference, running from August 28 – 31, will be held in conjunction with the Kansas Association for Addiction Professionals (KAAP) in Overland Park, Kan.
At the Recovery for a Lifetime Conference 2008, NAADAC and KAAP are calling for workshop proposals that contain current and relevant information addressing addiction history, co-occurring disorders, current research and outcomes, prevention, ethics, special populations, workplace/management issues, clinical techniques, alternative therapies, faith based approaches and professional development.
In order to help addiction focused professionals based in Kansas comply with state regulations, conference organizers are particularly interested in presentations addressing infectious diseases and HIV, ethics, confidentiality, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) IV, issues concerning diagnosis and treatment and smoking cessation.
The 2008 conference will be the fourth collaborative effort that NAADAC has embarked on with its state partners. The previous conferences have been held in Corpus Christi, Tex., Burbank, Calif. and Nashville, Tenn.
Download a copy of the Call for Presentations. For more information, contact Donovan Kuehn at dkuehn@naadac.org (please put "Presentation Submission" in the subject line) or at 1.800.548.0497 ext. 125
Many NAADAC members have asked about the distinctions between certification and membership in the association. Here are a few explanations of how the two are different:
You can obtain information about your state’s specific certification requirements from the Addiction Technology Transfer Center, which is located on the Internet at www.nattc.org/. By visiting the “Get Certified” link, you can access a database with basic information on a variety of state, national, and some international bodies that offer credentialing for drug and alcohol counselors.
March 9 – 11, 2008
NAADAC’s Advocacy in Action Day
Arlington, VA/Washington, DC
AND
Aug. 28 – 31, 2008
NAADAC’s Annual Conference
Kansas City, Kansas