Complete coverage from NCAD in Baltimore

Full on-site coverage of this year’s National Conference on Addiction Disorders (NCAD) in Baltimore, produced by the editorial team of Addiction Professional.

• How to leverage a comprehensive treatment philosophy | Many in the treatment field embrace the widely held philosophy that addiction has medical, psychological, social and spiritual symptoms that must be addressed with the respective modalities. It’s equally important to know where to leverage each treatment type.
   
• WATCH: Osvaldo Cabral of The Lookout Boulder, on coping with compassion fatigue
   
• Doctor attacks misconceptions about opioid addiction medications | The owner of Addiction Recovery Resources in Louisiana discussed why it makes sense to integrate 12-Step and medication approaches to opioid addiction treatment.
   
• WATCH: Greg Hobelmann, MD, of Ashley Addiction Treatment Centers, on treating chronic pain with opioid alternatives
   
• No need to whisper, as attendees embrace talk about moderate drinking | A discussion about the spectrum of alcohol use severity and how moderate drinking might work for some individuals earned a positive reception at NCAD.
   
• WATCH: Kris Washington of Psynchronous, on ethical marketing
   
• Create relationships to prevent NIMBY friction | Actions to restrict recovery homes are often discriminatory, but operators must be cooperative and act as allies in the community.
   
• WATCH: Stacie Lucius of WestBridge Community Services, on incorporating family into treatment
   
• Families must be the driver of healing | Renowned neuropsychiatrist and interventionist Judith Landau says programs treating co-occurring disorders must capitalize on family members' connection and resilience.
   
• WATCH: Suki Norris of the Echo Group, on understanding parity laws
   
• Training programs can help identify future leaders | Consider structured training academies to improve employee retention and lay the groundwork for succession planning.
   
• WATCH: Steven Millette of Gloo, on recovery-oriented systems of care
   
• Resources, not rhetoric, will combat the addiction crisis | In the ongoing fight to combat the opioid crisis, lack of resources has become the biggest limitation to saving lives.
   
• WATCH: Jeffrey Lynne of Beighley, Myrick, Udelle & Lynne, on treatment center marketing
   
• Adolescent trauma can originate in unexplored places | A school-based counselor told a National Conference on Addiction Disorders (NCAD) audience on Thursday that anything from a relocation to insidious ethnic discrimination can be at the root of paralyzing trauma for youths.
   

• The opioid crisis is a political football, and that’s not good | It's important for leaders in the industry to advocate for the disease of addiction, rather than for the opioid crisis because resources are scarce.

• Free screener measures risk across multiple domains | The final day of the National Conference on Addiction Disorders (NCAD) featured a presentation on a free screening tool that reflects the multiple problems affecting most patients.