Currently, women’s involvement in correctional and substance use disorders (SUD) treatment systems is rapidly outpacing men. Most of these programs are based upon gender-neutral services, meaning that their programs were designed with men in mind. Specifically, many of these programs address why men use drugs and alcohol and how to reduce recidivism with little emphasis placed on the treatment needs of women. This is especially worrisome for women in correctional or treatment settings with stimulants as their drug of choice. Statistics demonstrate that women make up more than half of the clients treated for methamphetamine and other stimulants in the majority of SUD treatment programs. As such, a recent study indicated that five times the percentage of females than males attributed initial methamphetamine use to a desire to lose weight and more females than males reported using meth to get more energy. Stimulant use by women often leads to or is accompanied by high rates of body dissatisfaction and preoccupation with body shape; eating pathology and compensatory behaviors; binge eating; nutritional deficiencies; energy and fatigue issues; and weight gain among women in treatment for SUDs and in correctional settings.

This Enhanced Professional Learning series will address these and other core issues that are unique to female SUD treatment clients in comparison to their male counterparts including weight and energy as a driving mechanism to use, triggers for relapse, cross addiction, psychosocial needs, physical activity and dopamine, social media, “fat” internalization, electrolyte imbalance, metabolic changes during drug use and recovery, self-medication, and disordered eating patterns. Finally, Healthy Steps to Freedom, a gender-responsive program designed to augment and enhance existing treatment services will be shared and available for implementation.

WHEN:

Every Thursday, October 19 – December 14, 2023 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm Mountain/2:00 – 3:30 pm Central (we will be skipping our session the week of the Thanksgiving holiday)

OBJECTIVES:

• Recognize the symptoms specific to women that are linked to substance use, relapse and related co-occurring disorders
• Understand the prevalence of body dissatisfaction and exposure to thin-ideals and their implications in the treatment setting for women in recovery
• Understand the prevalence of eating pathology and weight concerns and their implications to treatment and relapse prevention
• Identify common ways women self-medicate through caloric restriction, dieting, compensatory behaviors and energy supplements and their impact on substance use addiction
• Understand the role of healthy eating and physical activity in recovery and learn approaches to address poor nutrition, sedentary behavior and alternatives to dieting
• Demonstrate ways to incorporate health education and gender-responsive life skills to augment existing treatment

TARGET AUDIENCE:

• Behavioral Health, Substance Use Disorders, Mental Health, and Recovery Service providers located in HHS Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming)

PARTICIPANT COMMITMENT & EXPECTATIONS

• Access to appropriate technology to utilize Zoom videoconferencing platform (internet connection, webcam, laptop/tablet, speakers and microphone)
  • Attend a one-hour online Orientation on October 19th
• Commit to 7-weeks of online training for 1.5 hours weekly from October 19 – December 14, 2023 (we will be skipping our session the week of the Thanksgiving holiday)
• Complete weekly self-study learning activities

TRAINER(S)/FACILITATOR(S):

• Annie Lindsay, PhD

THERE IS NO COST TO PARTICIPATE:

The first 35 registrants will receive a MPATTC waiver that covers the $450 cost to participate. Once the 35 spots have been filled, registration will be closed.

PLEASE NOTE:

Registrants enrolled in this series are required to attend the orientation and Week 1 sessions. If you cannot attend these sessions, you will forfeit your attendance. In addition, it is expected that participants will have access to the appropriate technology by Week 1 to fully participate and be on camera at least 90% of the time. This is not a webinar series and active participation to gain/improve skills are required.

Due to limited enrollment, if you cannot commit to the full participant requirements, please defer this online training series opportunity to others. Registration is not transferable to another person. 

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

The series has been approved for a total of 18.5 contact hours (20 hours content instruction and one hour orientation session) through the National Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC), International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) ACEP No. 6492. No credit will be awarded for non-attendance or partial attendance.

The knowledge and skills learned should be applied within the framework of any applicable Operating and/or Credentialing regulations in your State of practice.

QUESTIONS: Please contact the Mountain Plains ATTC at mpattc@casat.org or by phone at 775-784-6265.