Vermont Substance Use Conference 2025

Yes, it can be challenging to get people to attend talks on substance use prevention. This may be because of shame and stigma around the topic of substance use disorder, because they are dealing with substance use problems themselves or in their family, or because they erroneously believe all kids drink or use drugs and there’s nothing we can do about it. The talk that has become one of Jess’ most popular is a talk on Gift of Failure topics - increasing motivation, engagement, competence, self-efficacy and self-advocacy in kids - while giving audiences evidence-based information on how increasing motivation, engagement, competence, self-efficacy and self-advocacy in kids also reduces their risk for substance use. Audiences come for The Gift of Failure topics and leave with information on substance use risk, preventative factors, and myth-busting revelations regarding adolescence and substance use (e.g. sipping at home increases risk for developing substance use disorder, as do those “kids are going to do it anyway, we might as well do it in our home and take keys away” parties. Call it what you want, I call it Process Over Product: Increasing Motivation, Engagement, Competence and Self-Efficacy in Kids.

Between September 2023 and December of 2024, the Vermont Department of Health's Division of Substance Use Programs (DSU) partnered with Health Resources in Action to conduct a comprehensive, substance use system of care-wide community perspective needs assessment and strategic planning process. This session will review the findings of the needs assessment and the process through which its findings informed the division's new strategic plan. Participants will be among the first to have access to the new strategic plan and will hear how the division intends to operationalize it.

Frequent cannabis use leads to increased tolerance.  The community of weed smokers has addressed this by encouraging periodic breaks from cannabis to help bring down tolerance.  Called a ‘t-break’, it is an organic harm reduction technique.  Unfortunately, without guidance, people often find a t-break harder than they thought.  The T-Break Guide was written from the wisdom of people who have successfully taken breaks. There are not many harm reduction resources for cannabis; come learn about this free one.

This workshop is for anyone who might benefit from knowing about a free cannabis harm reduction resource.

The session will provide an overview of contingency management for StimUD, a review of Contingency Management (CM), research to support CM, and key ingredients in CM implementation. Presenters will offer a perspective from the Vermont Department of Substance Use on the expected benefits of CM and discuss Vermont’s implementation process and data to date. Finally, three treatment providers in Vermont currently using CM for StimUD will describe their experiences

Qualitative and quantitative research indicate strong correlations between substance use, disordered eating, and eating disorders. And eating disorders are the second leading cause of death behind substance use disorders. In alignment with this year's theme, the presentation will provide an overview of the overlapping warning signs and risk factors and the need for increased education, identification, and coordination of trauma-informed treatment.

This session will explore the critical role of local policy in shaping effective substance-use prevention strategies by focusing on tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis. Participants will gain insight into the policy considerations necessary to build a strong prevention framework, as well as evidence-based recommendations for local implementation. The session will also highlight successful policy implementation in the state.

We explore how mental health literacy can strengthen the substance-use continuum of care. This session focuses on collaboration across systems to build shared language, reduce stigma, and promote early intervention. Attendees will learn how to connect with communities through storytelling, education, and advocacy and leave with practical tools to enhance communication, coordination, and care around mental health and substance use challenges.

This session presents the science behind Medication-Assisted Treatment specific to Methadone Maintenance Treatment Programs (MMTP) in Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP). The session also describes a day in the life and the lifecycle of a patient in an OTP. Presenters will also cover innovative ways that they have seen success in patient retention and outcomes. Finally, attendees will be given the opportunity to pose medical questions about MMTP to an Addiction Certified Specialist.

Considerable progress has been made at the federal, state, and local levels in deploying evidence-based strategies to address the opioid epidemic. Provisional CDC data showed a decline in opioid-overdose deaths in 2023. This session will highlight the importance of addressing co-occurring drivers of health and how a closed-loop referral system can drive meaningful change. It will also emphasize timely, equitable approaches to needs and how community-driven referrals can aid recovery.

This session is an opportunity to learn about the Maternal Mortality Review Panel and how its data is used to inform programming. Utilizing Overdose Data to Action funding, the Vermont Department of Health’s Family and Child Health supports collaborative projects enhancing perinatal substance use care, coordination, and connection. The session includes a Turning Point Center perinatal referral system, a Lund therapeutic storytelling project, and an initiative to support organizations through tailored SU education.