—by Matthew K. Weiland and Paul M. Kubek
Columbus, OH—Despite Hurricane Ike's devastation across the Buckeye State, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of Ohioans, over 350 of the 400-plus registered participants still made it to the Greater Columbus Convention Center on September 16 and 17 for the 8th Annual SAMI/ IDDT Conference, titled "IDDT & Recovery: Consumers, Communities & Providers," which was sponsored by the Ohio Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Coordinating Center of Excellence (Ohio SAMI CCOE), an initiative of the Center for Evidence-Based Practices (CEBP) at Case Western Reserve University.
There were 52 workshops that offered seasoned veterans of EBPs and newcomers alike insights into effective implementation of IDDT, lessons learned by service providers implementing the model, and take-home advice for immediate use. The popularity of the conference illustrates the growing interest in integrated treatment, not only in Ohio but throughout the nation. This year's conference attracted service providers, policy makers, and researchers from throughout Ohio and 12 other states and The Netherlands. Among the states represented were the following:
- California
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
Keynote Speakers
The event featured two keynote plenary sessions, introduced by Ohio Department of Mental Health Director Sandra Stephenson and Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Director Angela Cornelius. Especially moving was Stephenson's own personal account of how she came to integrated treatment through a consumer who was being mistreated by the service system before Ohio began implementing the evidence-based IDDT model.
The plenary on Tuesdy was presented by Robert Drake, MD, PhD, Andrew Thomson Professor of Psychiatry and Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School and co-creator of IDDT and Supported Employment (SE). Dr. Drake reviewed current research about both (see below).
At Wednesday's plenary, Carlo DiClemente, PhD, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and co-creator of the Transtheoretical Model of Change (stages of change), highlighted current research on the model and described nuances of the approach that make it among the most useful tools for helping people make the positive life-changes that they desire (see below).
Audio Initiative | Conversations
At the conference, we invited keynote speakers and workshop presenters to recap their presentations. We also invited individuals involved in all stages of IDDT implementation to share their experiences, their challenges, and their successes using integrated treatment and other evidence-based practices, such as Supported Employment (SE) and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT). We'd like to thank the people listed below for taking the time to share their stories and invite you to share them with your colleagues and advocates in your community.
Robert E. Drake, MD, PhD
Andrew Thomson Professor of Psychiatry and Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School
Lebanon, New Hampshire
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This internationally known psychiatrist, researcher, and co-creator of IDDT summarizes his keynote presentation from this year's conference, noting that there is increasing evidence from research that treatment groups, peer support, and evidence-based Supported Employment services make recovery more effective and sustainable. During our conversation, Dr. Drake also told stories about direct practice in Boston in the 1970s, the early days of integrated treatment, and the ways in which the evidence continues to prove its effectiveness.
Carlo DiClemente, PhD
Professor
The University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore, Maryland
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This internationally known researcher, consultant, and co-creator of the Transtheoretical Model of Change (stages of change) discusses how the stages apply to services designed for co-occurring severe mental illness and substance use disorders. During our conversation, Dr. DiClemente also provided an overview of the Transtheoretical Model, how it originated, its integration with Motivational Interviewing (MI), and why it continues to be practiced throughout the world.
Dianne Asher, LSCSW, CADC-I
Project Manager & IDDT Consultant and Trainer
The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare
Lawrence, Kansas
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In this clip, Kansas IDDT pioneer Diane Asher summarizes the workshop she presented, titled "Supervisory Skills for Effectively Implementing Evidenced-Based Practices." She provides a couple of tips for team leaders to be more effective in helping clinicians in their professional work. During our conversation, Asher also reflected upon her days as a case manager and team leader, her experiences providing technical assistance for IDDT, the importance of clinical supervision, and a few methods for meeting the challenges of implementation.
Jonas Thom, MA, PCC
Director
Ohio Coordinating Center for Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
Cincinnati, Ohio
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In this audio clip, Jonas Thom provides a summary of his conference workshop, “Ethics and Boundaries in Home-Based Settings for ACT Team Members." He notes that interactions with consumers in the community, especially their homes, often produce awkward experiences and difficult feelings for service providers and consumers alike. During our conversation, Thom also shared two compelling stories of consumer recovery. He explained how how ACT and IDDT principles and practices helped service providers connect with two homeless men—one a veteran and the other a classically trained musician. Thom also provided an explanation of ACT.
Darnella Allen, BA, LICDC
Case Manager
Mental Health Services, Inc.
Cleveland, Ohio
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Darnella Allen is a seasoned addictions counselor of 20 years from Cleveland, Ohio. In this audio clip, she describes a transformational moment from the conference and how IDDT is helping renew her sense of faith in consumers, recovery, and the compassion within her. During our conversation, Allen described in more detail how she has embarked on a professional transformation. Discover how IDDT is giving her permission to be true to her naturally compassionate disposition.
Albert Dijkhuizen, MD (left)
Psychiatrist
Geestelijke GezondheidsZorg Eindhoven en de Kempen (GGzE)
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Johan Weterings, PhD
Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist
Geestelijke GezondheidsZorg Eindhoven en de Kempen (GGzE)
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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In this clip, Albert Dijkhuizen, MD, and Johan Weterings, PhD, of Eindhoven, the Netherlands, introduce themselves and describe what got them interested in Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment and its implementation in the State of Ohio. Dijkhuizen explains that he began his career at an addiction-treatment center and noticed that many of the people he was seeing in his practice also struggled with psychiatric issues. This inspired him to make a career change and work for a mental health agency, where he met Weterings and others who were interested in providing integrated treatment.
Additional Conversations
We would also like to thank the following for taking the time to talk with us about their experiences.
- Mark Hurst, MD
Chief Clinical Officer
Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare
Columbus, Ohio - Robert J. Martin, MA, CAC-II, MAC
Seque, Inc.
Jackson, Michigan - Angela Thompson, BS, LBSW
Supports Coordinator, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
Muskegon County Community Mental Health
Muskegon, Michigan - Teresa Baker, AAS, CDCA
Nova House Association
Dayton, Ohio - Vera Booker
Choices Community Social Center
Akron, Ohio - Tonnette Ewing-Jones, BS, LCDC III
Nova House Association
Dayton, Ohio - Shara Finklea
Nova House Association
Dayton, Ohio - Marlene Hays
Choices Community Social Center
Akron, Ohio - Laurence Kendrick, MA
Moundbuilders Guidance Center
Mount Vernon, Ohio - Michele Lewis, MS, LPC, LICDC
Nova House Association
Dayton, Ohio - Su-Ann Newport, MS, RN, CNS, LICDC
ADAMHS Board of Montgomery County
Dayton, Ohio - Tison Thomas, MSW, LMSW
Michigan Department of Community Health
Lansing, Michigan
Special Thanks
The Center for Evidence-Based Practices (CEBP) at Case Western Reserve University—and its Ohio SAMI CCOE initiative—would like to thank the following Ohio IDDT teams for sharing with conference participants the lessons they have learned from implementing integrated treatment:
- Neighboring of Lake County
- Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health
- Meridian
Conference Sponsors
- Center for Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) and Ohio SAMI CCOE (a partnership between Case Western Reserve University's Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences and the Department of Psychiatry, Case School of Medicine)
- Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH)
- Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS)
- Cuyahoga County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board
- Center for Substance Abuse and Mental Illness at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
Matthew K. Weiland, MA, is senior writer, producer, and new-media specialist and Paul M. Kubek, MA, is director of communications at the Center for Evidence-Based Practices at Case Western Reserve University.