The Take 10! Transforming Care for Women with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and their Families series discusses current issues and challenges confronted by diverse women presenting with substance use, SUDs, and who are in recovery. Women experience SUD in ways that are distinct from men. Historically, access to treatment for women has been limited, a disparity that persists today. Studies show that when women begin treatment for SUDs, they frequently arrive with more severe medical, behavioral, psychological, and social struggles compared to men. For these reasons, there is a need for gender-specific services.

Series Learning Objectives

This series will address the emotional, physical, and socioeconomic factors that uniquely impact women during treatment with a special focus on the following information:

• Women’s treatment history and current aspects of women-centered treatment in the United States, with a focus on the Midwest
• The link between trauma, substance use, and other co-morbidities in women
• Trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches for specific racial/ethnic women in recovery
• Effective clinical strategies, interventions, and resources that help improve engagement, retention, and completion of treatment programs

Topic 6 (Overview Session): Considerations for Treating Women with SUDs Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

This 30-minute overview session will introduce participants to the emotional, physical, and socioeconomic factors that uniquely impact women during treatment, and especially how these factors relate to the considerations for treating women with SUDs who have experienced IPV and/or TBI.

When most people hear the terms “concussion” or “traumatic brain injury,” they think of football, military service, or unfortunate accidents. Fewer people are aware that brain injury can be caused by overdoses, head injuries while under the influence of substances, domestic violence (e.g., domestic, sexual), and strangulation or choking. Many clinicians are unaware of the role IPV can play in the lives of their clients, including how substance use and mental health coercion can affect one's overall health, including their needs and ability to participate when receiving behavioral health services. We lack awareness of the significant role TBI and IPV can play in a person’s recovery journey as well as accessing and successfully engaging with supports. We will discuss strategies to incorporate knowledge of IPV and TBI into behavioral health services so clients can continue to live the lives they deserve. 

Session Learning Objectives:  

Attendees will:

• Learn at least two tactics of substance use coercion  

• Identify at least two ways in which unidentified brain injuries can contribute to challenges accessing behavioral health services  

• Develop at least two strategies to integrate knowledge of IPV brain injury into behavioral health services  

CERTIFICATES:

Registrants who fully attend this event or training will receive a certificate of attendance via email within two weeks after the event or training.

Trainer:

Rachel Ramirez, LISW-S, RASS is the Director of Health and Disability Programs and the Founder of The Center on Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury at The Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN). Her focus is on supporting professionals and systems to better understand traumatic stress and the impact of brain injury, which translates into more accessible and effective services. She provides extensive statewide, national, and international training, technical assistance, consultation, and program support. Rachel has co-authored several peer reviewed journal articles and has been featured on National Public Radio as well as in The New York Times Magazine and The Washington Post. Rachel has a MSW from The Ohio State University and is a licensed independent social worker and a registered advocate with senior standing and has been with ODVN for 17 years.

Cheryl Stahl, LPCC is ODVN's Substance Use/Mental Health Program Director. She is overseeing ODVN's substance abuse and mental health project to better prepare domestic violence programs to serve survivors who use substances or are in recovery and/or have mental health diagnoses or concerns.   Cheryl is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in the state of Ohio and began her career volunteering on a crisis line at Townhall II in Portage County. She went on to work as a Victim Advocate, Prevention Educator, Crisis Line Volunteer Training Coordinator and finally as a counselor in outpatient services. Cheryl has worked in both an outpatient setting and, prior to joining ODVN, was the Program Manager for the Portage Area Recovery Center (PARC), a program of Family & Community Services, Inc. PARC is a 23 bed women’s residential recovery housing program which Cheryl was responsible for creating from its inception.  Cheryl has a great passion for working with the substance using/dependent population and continues to work to reduce the stigma associated with addiction and mental health. Cheryl earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology with minors in Philosophy and Criminal Justice, and her Master of Education Degree in Community Counseling at Kent State University

The Great Lakes ATTC is offering this training for individuals working in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI. This training is being provided in response to a need identified by Region 5 stakeholders.