This session will provide participants with an overview of brain injury including information on what brain injury is and the prevalence within the general population. The session will then describe brain injury in the context of high-risk populations such as intimate partner violence and criminal and juvenile justice. Finally, participants will gain an understanding for how to screen for brain injury and they will learn strategies for supporting individuals with brain injury within the addictions setting.   Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to describe the prevalence of brain injury in the general and within special populations. Participants will learn about best practices for screening individuals for brain injury. Participants will learn how to support individuals identified with brain injury.   Presenter Information: Judy Dettmer has been working in the field of brain injury for 30 years. Ms. Dettmer is currently the Director for Strategic Partnerships and a Technical Assistance Lead for the Traumatic Brain Injury Technical Assistance and Resource Center at the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators. Ms. Dettmer has worked extensively with adults, children and family members of individuals with brain injury. She has provided direct and systems consultation to improve the lives of individuals with brain injury. Judy has also assisted with research efforts related to brain injury and has conducted countless presentations, classes and seminars on brain injury both in the state of Colorado and Nationally. Ms. Dettmer has provided technical assistance to numerous states including but not limited to; screening on brain injury, developing infrastructure within state systems such as departments of education, criminal justice, and in developing and managing advisory boards and councils. Ms. Dettmer is currently a co-facilitator for the National Collaborative on Children’s Brain Injury. Video Link This training is a collaboration between Mid-America ATTC, Mountain Plains ATTC, and NASHIA.

The Mountain Plains and Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Centers (ATTCs) are proud to partner with the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) to present seven virtual trainings focused on the significant intersection between brain injury and addiction. The trainings consist of an introductory session followed by six special topic webinars. Special topics will include the intersection of brain injury with addictions, intimate partner violence, suicide, as well as special considerations for individual and group therapy. The final session will be focused on the introduction of a Brain Injury and Addictions Toolkit.   Domestic violence is a complex public health issue with a widespread impact on individuals, communities, and society. Many survivors of abuse also struggle with substances. This presentation will introduce the role of domestic violence and other abusive tactics—specifically mental health and substance use coercion--as additional drivers of substance misuse and addiction. To add another layer of complexity, a critically important consequence of domestic violence has been hidden in plain sight for decades—brain injury. This webinar will share what we have learned from groundbreaking research in Ohio on the intersection of brain injury and domestic violence, as well as a service provision framework called CARE (Connect, Acknowledge, Respond, Evaluate). You will leave with tools to assist you in raising awareness and addressing partner-inflicted brain injury in your services and help you better support the unique needs of people impacted by domestic violence, brain injury, and addiction.   Describe at least three ways that domestic violence can contribute to the substance misuse challenges and addiction. Learn how to use the CARE framework as a guide for working with people experiencing a brain injury, domestic violence, and addiction. Identify resources (including CARE tools) to assist you in educating, identifying, and accommodating for brain injury in your programming.   Presenter: Rachel Ramirez, MA, MSW, LISW-S, RA Rachel Ramirez is the Founder and Director of The Center on Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury, a project of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN). Rachel is currently directing the Center’s first federal grant from the Office on Violence Against Women to increase collaboration and develop training and services for the brain injury, domestic violence, and sexual assault fields. Over the past 13 years at ODVN, Rachel has led multiple statewide initiatives on trauma-informed approaches as well as other topics. She has trained hundreds of audiences and co-authored Trauma-Informed Approaches: Promising Practices and Protocols for Ohio’s Domestic Violence Programs, as well as peer-reviewed journal articles in the Journal of Family Violence and the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. Rachel is a bilingual licensed independent social worker and a registered advocate with senior standing in Ohio. Video Link

Starting with a background on suicide and the connection to traumatic brain injury (TBI), this presentation explores the relationship between suicide, TBI, and co-morbid substance use. After presenting some research-based findings, the speaker concludes with a discussion of the brain mechanisms that may mediate this relationship.    Learning Objectives: Provide a background on suicide and the connection to TBI Explore the relationship between TBI, suicide, and substance use Comment on mechanisms for this tri-directional relationship   Presenter Information: Dr. Peters is an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. An active clinician, teacher, and researcher, Dr. Peters sees patients in the Acquired Brain Injury Clinic and Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview. He has been internationally recognized for his research work and has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, and National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center. His research focuses on cognitive and other neuropsychiatric symptoms following traumatic brain injury with a specific focus on traumatic brain injury in older adults. This product is a collaboration between Mid-America and Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Center, and the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA)   Traumatic Brain Injury Substance Use Disorder and Suicide

The occurrence of the combined problem of TBI and Substance Use Disorder is common and presents major complications in the usual course of rehabilitation. Physical, cognitive, and emotional issues related to this combination of disorders require an acute understanding of brain function, cognitive assessment, and various modifications to the usual rehabilitation approach. Understanding the prevalence and scope of the issue of TBI and SUD will be reviewed along with a full description of the processes of assessment, treatment, and long-term care of people with this complex disorder.   Learning Objectives: Review the scope of the SUD problem in the US Review the scope of the TBI problem in the US Review neurobiological systems relevant to working with people experiencing TBI and SUD Review assessment procedures Describe specific treatment planning components Describe typical treatment modifications needed in treating TBI and SUD   Presenter Information Dr. Sparadeo began his career as the Director of the Mayor’s Task Force on Substance Abuse in the City of Providence, R.I. and he was also the Director of Substance Abuse Services for the Providence Mental Health Center at that same time. After creating a system of clinical services for the City of Providence he was appointed as CEO of Talbot House. Talbot House was the largest residential substance abuse treatment facility in New England. Dr. Sparadeo then completed his doctoral studies with a residency at the Boston V.A. Medical Center followed by a 2-year fellowship at Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital (RIH). The focus of his clinical training was neuropsychology and chronic pain. He completed his fellowship and was appointed to the Brown University School of Medicine faculty and the Rhode Island Hospital medical staff in the position of Director of Rehabilitation Psychology. Dr. Sparadeo trained numerous interns and fellows at Brown University. As Director of Rehabilitation Psychology, Dr. Sparadeo created the first comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation program for survivors of traumatic brain injury. After 8 years in his position at RIH Dr. Sparadeo was appointed National Director of Substance Abuse and TBI rehabilitation services at New Medico Health Systems in Boston, Massachusetts. He created inpatient substance abuse treatment programs in 8 rehabilitation facilities throughout the U.S. He returned to RIH and Brown University to become the director of the Concussion Care Center in the Emergency Department at RIH. He was also the chief clinical consultant to the Trauma Center and Stepdown Unit, and he was the co-director of the Interdisciplinary Spine Center in the Neurosurgery Department at RIH for 5 years before opening a private practice specializing in the neuropsychological assessment, pain assessment and pain management. He developed a specialized substance abuse treatment program for people with both TBI and substance abuse. Eventually, he developed a specialized treatment program for people with chronic pain and opiate addiction. Over the many years of his career Dr. Sparadeo has been a consultant to many agencies and healthcare programs throughout the U.S. He has also served on numerous boards of directors. He was the founder and president of the Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island. He was also the Chairman of the Governor’s Permanent Advisory Commission on TBI. He was also a member of the national committee on substance abuse and disability at SAMHSA in Washington, D.C. Most recently, Dr. Sparadeo has been a consultant and chief trainer on a federally funded grant at the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. Dr. Sparadeo’s career has also included the publication of many scientific papers and book chapters, and he has been on the faculty of Salve Regina University graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling where he teaches the Neuroscience of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness, Psychopharmacology for Counselors and the Neuroscience of Opioid Abuse.   Traumatic Brain Injury and SUD Part 1 Implications of Brain Injury Addiction This training is a collaboration between Mid-America ATTC, Mountain Plains ATTC, and NASHIA.

Description: This presentation is focused on specific considerations in the treatment of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in people with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)   Learning Objectives: Understand the role of assessments in treating those with SUD and TBI Describe the implications of specific cognitive challenges Examine the executive dysfunction and the process of applying standard SUD treatment to people with executive function difficulty   Presenter Information Dr. Sparadeo began his career as the Director of the Mayor’s Task Force on Substance Abuse in the City of Providence, R.I. and he was also the Director of Substance Abuse Services for the Providence Mental Health Center at that same time. After creating a system of clinical services for the City of Providence he was appointed as CEO of Talbot House. Talbot House was the largest residential substance abuse treatment facility in New England. Dr. Sparadeo then completed his doctoral studies with a residency at the Boston V.A. Medical Center followed by a 2-year fellowship at Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital (RIH). The focus of his clinical training was neuropsychology and chronic pain. He completed his fellowship and was appointed to the Brown University School of Medicine faculty and the Rhode Island Hospital medical staff in the position of Director of Rehabilitation Psychology. Dr. Sparadeo trained numerous interns and fellows at Brown University. As Director of Rehabilitation Psychology, Dr. Sparadeo created the first comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation program for survivors of traumatic brain injury. After 8 years in his position at RIH Dr. Sparadeo was appointed National Director of Substance Abuse and TBI rehabilitation services at New Medico Health Systems in Boston, Massachusetts. He created inpatient substance abuse treatment programs in 8 rehabilitation facilities throughout the U.S. He returned to RIH and Brown University to become the director of the Concussion Care Center in the Emergency Department at RIH. He was also the chief clinical consultant to the Trauma Center and Stepdown Unit, and he was the co-director of the Interdisciplinary Spine Center in the Neurosurgery Department at RIH for 5 years before opening a private practice specializing in the neuropsychological assessment, pain assessment and pain management. He developed a specialized substance abuse treatment program for people with both TBI and substance abuse. Eventually, he developed a specialized treatment program for people with chronic pain and opiate addiction. Over the many years of his career Dr. Sparadeo has been a consultant to many agencies and healthcare programs throughout the U.S. He has also served on numerous boards of directors. He was the founder and president of the Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island. He was also the Chairman of the Governor’s Permanent Advisory Commission on TBI. He was also a member of the national committee on substance abuse and disability at SAMHSA in Washington, D.C. Most recently, Dr. Sparadeo has been a consultant and chief trainer on a federally funded grant at the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. Dr. Sparadeo’s career has also included the publication of many scientific papers and book chapters, and he has been on the faculty of Salve Regina University graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling where he teaches the Neuroscience of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness, Psychopharmacology for Counselors and the Neuroscience of Opioid Abuse. Video Link This training is a collaboration between Mid-America ATTC, Mountain Plains ATTC, and NASHIA.

Description: This session will provide participants with an overview of brain injury and co-occurring conditions in the context of the criminal and juvenile justice system. including information on what brain injury is and the prevalence within this system. The session will provide a framework for addressing the needs of justice involved individuals with brain injury including screening and compensatory strategies. Finally, participants will learn of community resources for individuals with brain injury.   Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to describe the prevalence of brain injury and co-occurring behavioral health in the criminal and juvenile justice system. Participants will learn about best practices for screening individuals for brain injury. Participants will learn how to support individuals identified with brain injury.   Presenter Information Judy Dettmer has been working in the field of brain injury for 30 years. Ms. Dettmer is currently the Director for Strategic Partnerships and a Technical Assistance Lead for the Traumatic Brain Injury Technical Assistance and Resource Center at the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators. Ms. Dettmer has worked extensively with adults, children and family members of individuals with brain injury. She has provided direct and systems consultation to improve the lives of individuals with brain injury. Judy has also assisted with research efforts related to brain injury and has conducted countless presentations, classes and seminars on brain injury both in the state of Colorado and Nationally. Ms. Dettmer has provided technical assistance to numerous states including but not limited to; screening on brain injury, developing infrastructure within state systems such as departments of education, criminal justice, and in developing and managing advisory boards and councils. Ms. Dettmer is currently a co-facilitator for the National Collaborative on Children’s Brain Injury.   Video Link This training is a collaboration between Mid-America ATTC, Mountain Plains ATTC, and NASHIA.

  This webinar will seek to describe the complex dilemma families find themselves in when a loved one has TBI and further when that loved one develops the additional problem of SUD. The impact of SUD on TBI recovery will be reviewed as well as the impact of SUD on ongoing cognitive and physical rehabilitation. Models of family therapy will be described taking into account the complexity of working with a person who has the combined problem of TBI and SUD.    

This webinar will seek to describe the complex dilemma families find themselves in when a loved one has TBI and further when that loved one develops the additional problem of SUD. The impact of SUD on TBI recovery will be reviewed as well as the impact of SUD on ongoing cognitive and physical rehabilitation. Models of family therapy will be described taking into account the complexity of working with a person who has the combined problem of TBI and SUD. Click here to watch the presentation!

This webinar will review the pharmacological characteristics of stimulant medications and also medications that provide a stimulant effect and review which medications are most effective in enhancing natural recovery and improving fatigue and cognitive functioning in TBI survivors. A discussion regarding the similarity of ADHD symptoms to TBI symptoms will be presented. Frontal lobe and temporal lobe syndromes will be described, and specific medications will be reviewed that are likely to have a positive impact on the TBI survivor. Case studies will also be presented exemplifying the complexity of brain injury, cognitive impairment and effective use of medications.   Learning Objectives: Review the definitions, similarities and differences between Stimulant medications Describe the symptoms of TBI following or during rehabilitation Differentiate levels of TBI cognitive severity Understand the Psychopharmacology of Stimulant Medications Describe atypical stimulants, non-stimulants and antidepressants Understand the complexity of choosing a stimulant medication in a patient with TBI   Presenter Information Dr. Sparadeo began his career as the Director of the Mayor’s Task Force on Substance Abuse in the City of Providence, R.I. and he was also the Director of Substance Abuse Services for the Providence Mental Health Center at that same time. After creating a system of clinical services for the City of Providence he was appointed as CEO of Talbot House. Talbot House was the largest residential substance abuse treatment facility in New England. Dr. Sparadeo then completed his doctoral studies with a residency at the Boston V.A. Medical Center followed by a 2-year fellowship at Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital (RIH). The focus of his clinical training was neuropsychology and chronic pain. He completed his fellowship and was appointed to the Brown University School of Medicine faculty and the Rhode Island Hospital medical staff in the position of Director of Rehabilitation Psychology. Dr. Sparadeo trained numerous interns and fellows at Brown University. As Director of Rehabilitation Psychology, Dr. Sparadeo created the first comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation program for survivors of traumatic brain injury. After 8 years in his position at RIH Dr. Sparadeo was appointed National Director of Substance Abuse and TBI rehabilitation services at New Medico Health Systems in Boston, Massachusetts. He created inpatient substance abuse treatment programs in 8 rehabilitation facilities throughout the U.S. He returned to RIH and Brown University to become the director of the Concussion Care Center in the Emergency Department at RIH. He was also the chief clinical consultant to the Trauma Center and Stepdown Unit, and he was the co-director of the Interdisciplinary Spine Center in the Neurosurgery Department at RIH for 5 years before opening a private practice specializing in the neuropsychological assessment, pain assessment and pain management. He developed a specialized substance abuse treatment program for people with both TBI and substance abuse. Eventually, he developed a specialized treatment program for people with chronic pain and opiate addiction. Over the many years of his career Dr. Sparadeo has been a consultant to many agencies and healthcare programs throughout the U.S. He has also served on numerous boards of directors. He was the founder and president of the Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island. He was also the Chairman of the Governor’s Permanent Advisory Commission on TBI. He was also a member of the national committee on substance abuse and disability at SAMHSA in Washington, D.C. Most recently, Dr. Sparadeo has been a consultant and chief trainer on a federally funded grant at the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. Dr. Sparadeo’s career has also included the publication of many scientific papers and book chapters, and he has been on the faculty of Salve Regina University graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling where he teaches the Neuroscience of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness, Psychopharmacology for Counselors and the Neuroscience of Opioid Abuse.   Traumatic Injury & SUD: Implications of Stimulants on Traumatic Brain Injury

The Mountain Plains ATTC is proud to collaborate with the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) to sponsor a training series with the of goal increasing knowledge and skills regarding individuals with brain injuries and mental health and substance use disorders. Specifically, this series will highlight individuals with SUDs and a brain injury; youth with co-occurring disorders, and justice-involved individuals with brain injuries. Implications and recommendations for assessment and treatment will be highlighted in each of the 75-minute sessions   Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and Brain Injury Become familiar with the broad trajectory of brain development, its vulnerability throughout the life span, and the emerging consensus that brain injury is a common, chronic condition Be able to identify common cognitive, physical, and behavioral consequences of brain injury Be able to identify the links between a history of brain injury, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, and substance use disorders Be able to name three strategies to support individuals who are living with SUDs and a possible or confirmed brain injury   Presenter: Anastasia Edmonston, MS, CRC, has more than 30 years of experience in the field of rehabilitation services for individuals with traumatic and acquired brain injuries, Anastasia has worked as a clinician, program coordinator, vocational rehabilitation counselor, and federal grant coordinator. Over the past 15 years, she has incorporated her clinical expertise and passion for advocacy into developing and delivering workshops, webinars, and training to a variety of audiences that focus on how to identify and appropriately serve individuals who are living with brain injury.    

The Mountain Plains ATTC is proud to collaborate with the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) to sponsor a training series with the of goal increasing knowledge and skills regarding individuals with brain injuries and mental health and substance use disorders. Specifically, this series will highlight individuals with SUDs and a brain injury; youth with co-occurring disorders, and justice-involved individuals with brain injuries. Implications and recommendations for assessment and treatment will be highlighted in each of the 75-minute sessions.   Brain Injury and Substance Use Disorders: Implications for Justice-Involved Populations Gain an understanding of the prevalence of brain injury and co-occurrence of mental health and addictions in criminal and juvenile justice settings Learn strategies for identifying justice-involved individuals with brain injury Learn about the importance of psycho-education approaches in serving this population Gain an understanding of simple accommodations and supports to improve outcomes for this population   Presenter: Judy Dettmer, BS Judy Dettmer, BS has been working in the field of brain injury for 30 years. Ms. Dettmer serves as NASHIA’s Director for Strategic Partnerships and a Technical Assistance Lead for the Traumatic Brain Injury Technical Assistance and Resource Center at the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators. Ms. Dettmer has worked extensively with adults, children, and family members of individuals with brain injury. She has provided direct and systems consultation to improve the lives of individuals with brain injury. Finally, Ms. Dettmer has assisted with research efforts related to brain injury and conducted countless presentations, classes, and seminars on brain injury both in the state of Colorado and nationally.  

The Mountain Plains ATTC is proud to collaborate with the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) to sponsor a training series with the of goal increasing knowledge and skills regarding individuals with brain injuries and mental health and substance use disorders. Specifically, this series will highlight individuals with SUDs and a brain injury; youth with co-occurring disorders, and justice-involved individuals with brain injuries. Implications and recommendations for assessment and treatment will be highlighted in each of the 75-minute sessions.   Learn how to use the Building Blocks of Brain Development to understand typical neurodevelopment and neurodiversity among youth. Develop skills in applying the screening and assessment strategies of the Building Blocks of Brain Development to serve youth with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Examine the underlying skill deficits of "can'ts" (instead of "won'ts") which allows for antecedent management/interventions versus consequence-based management in serving youth.   Presenter: Karen McAvoy, PsyD, is dually credentialed as a clinical and school psychologist. She practiced as a Pediatric Psychologist at Seattle and Denver Children’s Hospitals and as the Director of the Center for Concussion with Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children. She also practiced as a School Psychologist for 20 years serving as Coordinator of Mental Health, Coordinator of Manifestation Determinations, and Coordinator of the Brain Injury Team at Cherry Creek School District. After 20 years on the frontlines in a school district, Dr. McAvoy then served as a consultant for an additional 10 years to the Colorado Department of Education - providing trainings to multi-disciplinary school teams across the state of Colorado on the impact of brain injury and neuro-diversity on learning and behavior.