Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse
Welcome and Opening Remarks
39th Annual National Conference, Washington, DC
November 5, 2015
Daniel P. Alford, MD, MPH
President
AMERSA’s Mission Statement
“To improve health and well-being through
interdisciplinary leadership in substance use
education, research, clinical care and policy.”
AMERSA’s Goals
 Improve education and clinical practice in the
identification and management of substance-related
problems by promoting leadership, mentorship and
collaboration among multiple healthcare
professions including, but not limited to, physicians,
nurses, social workers, psychologists, dentists,
pharmacists, and public health professionals
 Build a network of experts who can advise local,
regional, national, and international organizations on
best practices for health professionals’ education
across the span of at-risk substance use to substance
use disorders
AMERSA’s Goals (continued)
 Generate and disseminate state-of-the-art scientific
information about substance use research, education
and policy through the organization’s peer-reviewed
journal, Substance Abuse, and at its annual national
conference
 Promote cultural competence and inclusiveness
among healthcare professionals in their work with
individuals affected by substance-related problems
 Provide an active forum and community for
discussion and debate of health policy topics related
to substance use
AMERSA History
 1976 Career Teachers Training Program (1972-82) in
Alcohol and Drug Abuse, sponsored by NIAAA and
NIDA
 First multidisciplinary health professional faculty
development programs
 59 founding members – primarily medical and public
health school faculty
 Marc Galanter, MD - 1st president
AMERSA History
 Developed a national Strategic Plan for Interdisciplinary
Faculty Development in Substance Abuse in 2002
 Project MAINSTREAM (MultiAgency INitiative for Substance
abuse TRaining and Education for AMerica) –
multidisciplinary faculty development program
 Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA)
 In collaboration with SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse
Treatment (CSAT)
 Annual national meeting
 Peer-reviewed quarterly Substance Abuse journal with a
multi-disciplinary Editorial Board
AMERSA Today
 226 members
A lean mean machine…
 Physicians
 Nurses
 1 FTE – Executive Director
 Nurse Practitioners
 Social Workers
 Psychologists
 Total operating budget =
$259,629
 Public Health Specialists
 Behavioral Health Specialists
 Pharmacists
 Dentists
 Physician Assistants
 Others…
Addiction. 2006; 101(1): 10-15.
“Even though AMERSA’s numbers are not in the
thousands, the organization has a big ripple effect
on health professional substance abuse training.”
Board of Directors 2013-2015 (outgoing)
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Daniel P. Alford, MD, MPH – 20th President
J. Paul Seale, MD – Vice President
Kimber P. Richter, PhD, MPH – Immediate Past President
Lauren Matukaitis Boyles, PhD, RN – Secretary
Babalola Faseru, MD, MPH – Treasurer
Hillary Kunins, MD, MPH, MS – Member-at-Large
Elizabeth M. Pace, MSM, RN – Member-at-Large
Alexander Y. Walley, MD, MSc – Member-at-Large
Constance M. Weisner, DrPH, MSW – Member-at-Large
 Adam Gordon, MD, MPH – Editor-in-Chief, Substance Abuse
 David C. Lewis, MD – Emeritus Director
 Doreen MacLane-Baeder – Executive Director
Board of Directors 2015-2017 (incoming)
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J. Paul Seale, MD – 21st President
Sharon Levy, MD, MPH – Vice President
Daniel P. Alford, MD, MPH – Immediate Past President
Victoria Osborne, PhD, MSW– Secretary
Kevin L. Kraemer, MD, MSc – Treasurer
Hillary Kunins, MD, MPH, MS – Member-at-Large
Jeffrey Baxter, MD – Member-at-Large
Alexander Y. Walley, MD, MSc – Member-at-Large
Deborah S. Finnell, DNS, PHMHP-BC, CARN-AP– Member-at-Large
 Adam Gordon, MD, MPH – Editor-in-Chief, Substance Abuse
 David C. Lewis, MD – Emeritus Director
 Doreen MacLane-Baeder – Executive Director
Why Join AMERSA?
A scientific survey of the Board of Directors…
Quality of Evidence: High
Strength of Recommendations: Strong
 Small enough, yet big enough
 The ONLY place to meet with colleagues across disciplines
and professions with common interests, approaches and
to share experiences, lessons learned
 Like-minded people who “get it”, care passionately about
substance use impact on individuals, families, and
communities and debate is welcomed
Why Join AMERSA?
A scientific survey of the Board of Directors …
 Perfect organization if you ever find yourself saying…
 I am the only one interested in helping people with addictions
in my institution
 I like to work with people outside of my discipline
 I see myself as a researcher and an educator
 I like small conferences where I can present my work and get
high quality feedback
 I want to volunteer for an organization where my efforts can
make a big difference
Why Join AMERSA?
A scientific survey of the Board of Directors …
 Efficient way to catch up/get up to speed on latest
(and most interesting) work in clinical research and
education in substance use
 See the relevance and implications of your work
from multiple angles
 Inter-professional family that supports your growth
as a clinician, educator, researcher, or policy maker
 Really nice people!...warm, smart, intimate, willing
to collaborate, brainstorm, mentor
Substance Abuse journal…
 Founded by Dr. Marc Galanter in 1976 as
an academically-oriented newsletter
 Dr. Galanter served as the Editor-in-Chief for
34 years, growing the “newsletter” into a
quarterly, peer-reviewed print journal
 Wide-ranging coverage for healthcare
professionals engaged in research,
education, clinical care, and service
delivery and evaluation
 All members have free access to articles
and e-pub ahead of print
Substance Abuse journal today
Editor-in-Chief:
 Adam J. Gordon, MD,
MPH
 Started September 2012
 Associate Editors:
 Ingrid A. Binswanger,
MD, MPH, MS
 Lauren Matukaitis
Broyles, PhD, RN
 Alan A. Cavaiola, PhD,
LCADC
 Babalola Faseru, MD,
MPH
 Deborah S. Finnell, DNS,
RN, FAAN
 Marianne Pugatch,
LICSW, MSW
 Managing Editors:
 Jennifer Jenkins, MPH
 Doreen Baeder
(AMERSA Executive
Director)
Substance Abuse journal today
 Features articles on: interdisciplinary addiction research,
education; innovations in addiction education, health
services and translation addiction research, international
addiction topics….and more
 Awards: most downloaded manuscript, best manuscript
and best peer review
 2014 impact factor (2.1) showed an increase of 31% over
the previous year
Our website…
Our soon to be new website…thanks Hillary!!
2015 Program Conference Team
 Paula J. Lum, MD, MPH – Chair
 Gerald Cochran, PhD, MSW – Co-Chair
 Sion Kim Harris, PhD, CPH – Abstract Co-Chair
 Jennifer McNeely, MD, MS – Abstract Co-Chair
 Harold Perl, PhD – Workshop Chair
 Carol Dawson Rose, PhD, RN – Evaluation Chair
2010-2015 National Conference Attendees
First Time Attendees
Total Attendees
2015
107
243
2014
57
240
2013
37
170
2012
51
173
2011
46
172
2010
50
179
137
(143 (59%) are presenting)
2015 – 243 attendees from 32 States, DC and 4 Countries
RI-6
4
1
6
1
1
22
10
3
3
4
1
4
6
33
12 1
3
6
1
2
2
3 2
5
1
1
Canada-4
Hong Kong-1
Switzerland-1
France-1
2
1
MA-43
CT-16
MD-25
DC-5
The Stars….
First time attendees (107)
Travel award winners (11)
New members (28)
“Old” members (89)
Conference Highlights
 Plenaries including a Spicy Debate
 Oral and Poster Presentations: Scientific Research, Programmatic,
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Curricula Evaluation and Clinical Cases
Skills-Based Workshops
Special Interest Meetings (Nursing, Physician, Social Work)
One-on-One Mentoring
New Member/First Time Attendee Orientation
Welcome Reception
new Updates in Substance Use luncheon
new An Evening of Storytelling: People, Places and Things that Led
Me to Addiction Medicine
Awards Dinner and Auction (Silent & Live)
Annual Fun Run and Morning Yoga
Program planning for 2016 meeting
Lots of schmoozing with old and new friends…
Follow on Twitter #AMERSA2015
Show your support
for AMERSA…
Purchase a
beautiful T-Shirt(s)
with our new logo
2016 Program Planning Sessions
40th Anniversary Celebration
November 3-5, 2016
 All attendees are invited to nominate topics and speakers. Drop
off written recommendations for enthralling speakers, cutting
edge topics, and/or thorny dilemmas in addiction medicine.
 Ballots with instructions and collection boxes are located at the
registration table and back of the plenary hall.
 Then come to the Program Planning luncheons on Friday and
Saturday to sort through the suggestions received and to
advocate vigorously for your choices.
Other business…
 Thanks to our exhibitors (Oxford University Press; Routledge
Journals; Wolters Kluwer)
 Please…
 Sign in daily for CME, CNE or CE credits
 Complete online evaluation daily
 Attend functions & workshops that you pre-registered for
 All posters should be posted by 2pm and must be
removed by Friday at 4pm
Change in room assignments
• All the plenaries today will be in the Colonnade (not Ballroom I)
• 9:00 am Advancing the Rights, Health and Well-Being of Pregnant Women
and their Children: Ending Punitive Drug Policies and Medical Misinformation
• 10:15 am The Role of Counseling in Office-Based Opioid Treatment
• 2:15 pm Betty Ford Award: Drinking and Alcohol-Related Problems among US
Hispanics
• The 11:30am Updates in Substance Use will be in the Ballroom I (not
Colonnade)
A special thank you!!!!
Doreen Baeder (15+ years)
…and her “dream team”…
 Patty Fitzgerald
 Paige Baeder
Don’t forget the “Rich Saitz Rule”
• When asking a question (or making a
comment)…
• Please state your name and where you
are from.
Finally…an AMERSA tradition…
Pete Johnson, PhD
 Career teacher of substance use at University of South Carolina School of
Medicine
 Selfless and tireless leader in AMERSA starting in 1978
 Responsible for mentoring and advancing the careers of many physicians,
psychologists, nurses, social workers, counselors and other health
educators during his work with AMERSA
 Since his untimely death in 1999, we remember Pete by opening the
annual national meetings with the ring of a bell….