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An Addiction and Recovery Conference to be held Jan. 19 and 20 [THURSDAY-FRIDAY] at East Central University will focus on current issues, trends and strategies in the field of substance abuse and offer information on addiction recovery, treatment and prevention.

The workshop will be presented by ECU’s Brandon Whitten Institute for Addiction & Recovery.

Holli Witherington, executive director of the BWI, said the conference is appropriate for counselors and other behavioral health clinicians who work with substance abuse, mental health and co-occurring populations, as well as prevention specialists, peer recovery support specialists, teachers and school officials, students wanting to work in a related field, law enforcement and community members

Registration is $60. Participants can enroll any time before the conference begins by calling the ECU Center for Continuing Education & Community Services at 580-559-5456 or going online at http://register.asapconnected.com//Courses.aspx?CourseGroupID=1109.

On-site registration also will be available on the first day of the conference by the Estep Multimedia Center in the University Center. ECU employees and students can attend for $10 but must register by calling 559-5456.

More information about the conference is available from Witherington at 580-559-5815 or online at http://www.ecok.edu/SiteContent/1/documents/Agenda_docx.pdf.

Ten continuing education units have been approved for Licensed Professional Counselors and Oklahoma Licensed Marital and Family Therapists. The credits have been requested for Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors, Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselors, Case Mangers and Recovery Support Specialists.

Witherington will open the conference Thursday morning with a focus on current issues in the field of mental health and substance abuse, followed by concurrent workshops on “Ethics” and “Working Together to Make a Difference.”

Thursday afternoon sessions are “Pathway to Recovery” and “Prevention 101.”

Friday’s sessions will open with Reggie Whitten, founder of the Brandon Whitten Institute for Addiction & Recovery at ECU. He will discuss common conceptions and misconceptions of substance abuse and addiction before the first session, “Current Drug Trends.”

Jim Priest, executive director of FATE (Fighting Addiction Through Education), will close the conference with a focus on athletic performance and physical health issues caused by substance use and abuse, along with educational information and current research.

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