Among the highlighted speakers is Jan Rader, former fire chief for Huntington, West Virginia, featured in the Netflix documentary “Heroin(e).”
Leaders at the forefront of battling the opioid crisis will present at Wilkes University’s Pennsylvania Pain and Addiction Summit on Friday, April 22 at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Now in its fourth year, the 2022 summit will focus on equitable access to health care in the post-pandemic world. It is hosted in partnership with the Luzerne County Medical Society with up to six hours of continuing education credit available.
The summit features keynote addresses from Jan Rader and Charles “C.K.” Babcock. Rader was the fire chief in Huntington, West Virginia, for 27 years before retiring this year. She captured national attention for her role in the city’s battle against opioid addiction and was featured in the 2017 Netflix documentary Heroin(e). In 2018, she was named as TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World.” She currently serves as the director of Huntington’s Council on Public Health and Drug Control Policy. She was the first woman to lead a fire department in the state of West Virginia.
Babcock is clinical associate professor in the School of Pharmacy at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. He received his PharmD from West Virginia University and completed a community pharmacy residency with Fruth Pharmacy, Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where he went on to become the director of clinical services. Babcock has been involved in developing many clinical programs (including diabetes education and immunization clinics), organizing collaborations with industry, operations, procuring products, recruitment and retention programs, precepting students, inventory management, dispensing, operating as a pharmacist-in-charge and as director of pharmacy. He attained both Certified Diabetes Educator and Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist certification. He also became a trainer for APhA’s Diabetes, Immunization and Medication Therapy Management programs.
During the full-day conference, medical, legal and law enforcement professionals will discuss the current state of the opioid crisis, share methods in dealing with these issues, and identify opportunities to treat pain and substance abuse. Continuing education hours are available for counselors, dentists, pharmacists, physical therapists, physicians, nurses and social workers.
Highlighted sessions and speakers include:
- “Syringe Services Programs: Equity and Inclusion in Addressing Harms Related to Drug Use.” Moderated by Mark Hiller from WBRE, this panel features a variety of experts including Dr. Denise Johnson, the Physician General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
- “Barriers to Care: Balancing Pain Management & Addiction,” a panel discussion moderated by Julie Sidoni of WVIA.
- “Medical Marijuana For Opioid Use Disorder,” presented by Donna Eget, D.O.
- “The Role of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Regulatory Oversight and Enforcement in those Health Care Providers,” presented by James R. Schiffer, RPh, Esq. and Carlos Aquino, retired DEA.
- “An Overview of The Professional Intervention Process,” presented by certified alcohol and drug counselor John Knowles, MA, Brookdale Recovery.
- “Telling The Stories of Addiction: Theory and Practice,” presented by published author Vicki Mayk, MFA.
The event is supported by educational grants from the Moses Taylor Foundation and the Wilkes-Barre City Department of Health.
The cost to attend the full-day program is $130. Half-day participation is $75 and does not include lunch. Attendees can learn more and register online at www.wilkes.edu/addiction.
For more information, contact Margaret Petty, director of the center for continued learning, at (570) 408-4460 or margaret.petty@wilkes.edu.