BHG Hosts Company’s First Public Webinars during National Drug Court Month
By Nancy Buttyan, Chief Marketing Officer
Last year, our colleague Dr. Brian Murray, Medical Director for the BHG Virginia Beach Treatment Center, wrote an article about forcible detox in jail being like a death sentence beyond prison walls. We have the science that backs up MAT and states with good, replicable models, so why aren’t more states following suit? That’s why we launched our first public webinar series “Stop Forcible Detox” during this year’s National Drug Court Month where medical and criminal justice experts gathered to share their perspectives on solutions to help chip away at the barriers and stigma to making this the standard of addiction recovery care in jails and prisons.
To create awareness and drive registration, our team developed a series of digital ads, pre- and post-marketing emails, organic social media posts, and invited journalists who cover drug courts, criminal justice, addiction, and healthcare. We also tweeted live during the sessions using the National Drug Court Month 2022 hashtag “#allrise.” We’ve had positive responses and feedback to the webinars and now have a great foundation from which to build future webinar series. So be on the lookout for more and feel free to submit ideas to us.
All sessions were recorded and will be available soon for your viewing. Presentation slides are also available upon request.
Webinar #1: Addiction Treatment Behind Bars: What Kind and Who Decides?
While Drug Court professionals know about MAT, the stigma of providing it is alive and well. Even if they do provide MAT, many physicians still choose not to use methadone. In this webinar, we’ll discuss the life and death impact of physicians’ decisions about people struggling with addiction who are at risk of going to jail or who are already incarcerated. We’ll cover what forcible detox looks like versus a holistic MAT model that can offer hope and a chance at achieving long-lasting recovery and building a healthy life.
Speakers:
- Carl Anderson, BSN, RN, CCHP, Administrative Manager for Detention Administration at the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Centennial, CO
- Dr. George Kaiser, M.D., Medical Director, Center for Behavioral Health/Behavioral Health Group, Desert Inn, NV
- Moderator: Christine (Chrissie) Martin, LMFT, LAC-S, CS, BHG Regional Clinical Director
Webinar #2: Compassion Behind Bars: How Recovery Reduces Recidivism
Providing MAT through specialty courts and state-funded programs saves lives. Evidence proves that people without it are more likely to return to jail, overdose, or die by overdose once released. In this webinar, we’ll hear perspectives from criminal justice professionals about the steps they took and the positive outcomes they’re seeing.
Speakers:
- Robyn Feese, LCADC, CPC, NCC, Substance Use Disorder Program Director for Nevada Department of Corrections
- Moderator: Marlo Lowe, ADC, LADAC, BHG Regional Clinical Director
Webinar #3: Drug Courts: Bridging Service Gaps to Individualized Treatment
Whether people struggling with addiction are in court, jail or living freely in their communities, addiction treatment and recovery is not one size fits all. Every person has a unique story that shapes the lens through which they look at life, and that’s why we must meet patients where they are and not leave them where they are. In this webinar, we’ll discuss how specialty courts can empower them to build long-term, sustainable recovery. They’ll share their perspectives and cover useful resources to providing holistic MAT, which helps people establish and maintain the basic needs of life and recovery — health, home, purpose, and community.
Speakers:
- Debbie Hall, Statewide Operations Supervisor -Administrative Office of the Courts-Kentucky Specialty Courts
- Honorable Judge Cole Maier, JD, Circuit Judge, 25th Circuit, Division 2 – Administrative Office of the Courts-Kentucky Court of Justice (Clark and Madison Counties)
- Moderator: Marlo Lowe, ADC, LADAC, BHG Regional Clinical Director