The Knox Substance Abuse Action Team (KSAAT) invites you to experience the Communities Coming Together conference. A compilation of Focusing on Youth Issues (FYI) Conference and the Knox Addiction Conference. The presentations are open to the public and provide a wide array of valuable information for everyone.

Registration for all attendees is required. Lunch, and all conference materials are included in your registration fee. Materials can only be guaranteed for attendees who register by May 15th, but registrations will be accepted up until June 1, 2022. Lunch will be provided cafeteria style, options will be available for individuals with special dietary needs. Registration will begin at 7:00am both days in the lobby of the Chapel.

View speaker bios here.

View program objectives here.

June 7th Keynote - Kim Kehl, Anyone Can Slay A Dragon: Doing It All Over Again

There is a cost to caring. Working with kids, their families and persons with histories of trauma is not easy work. You start to hear the commonality, which makes it feel exhausting to listen to the “same story” over and over. On top of it, the COVID-19 pandemic and recent social unrest has significantly disrupted the norms, expectations, and activities of daily life, and resulted in the potential for widespread community and individual trauma. These threats can feel unpredictable and uncontrollable—the signature of traumatic events. – disrupt a sense of control, connection and meaning. This workshop will highlight the importance of self-care and identify practices that participants can adopt to manage their own self-care.

June 8th Keynote - Laura Stack, The Dangerous Truth About Today's Marijuana

Laura Stack’s 19-year-old son, Johnny, died by suicide on November 20, 2019, after becoming psychotic from dabbing high-THC marijuana concentrates. Soon afterward, Laura started a 501c3, Johnny’s Ambassadors, to educate parents, teens, and communities about the dangers of today’s high-THC marijuana on adolescent brain development, mental illness, and suicide. In this session, Laura will share the story of Johnny’s marijuana addiction from a parent’s point of view, a poignant chronicle of the shocking descent from innocence to eventual suicide. Before marijuana, Johnny was a computer whiz with a 4.0 GPA and a perfect math score on the SAT. After marijuana, he stole his family dog from the home and threatened to kill it without payment from his mother. With moving candor, Laura traces the first warning signs, their attempts at rehabilitation, and his eventual demise. Three days before his death, Johnny issued his own warning about marijuana usage. Through this tragic tale, Stack hopes to help parents talk to their children about the dangers of using marijuana. Laura’s real-life story is backed by recent scientific research on how today’s THC products can harm our youth. This presentation is a clarion call for parents across America to educate themselves about the risks of today’s high-THC marijuana products and to better understand the potentially devastating effects on their children.

Additional topics to be covered in this conference:

• Anxiety in Students
• Bystander Intervention Training
• Hidden in Plain Sight
• Human Trafficking
• Impairment in the Workplace
• Mean Girl, Dealing with Relationships and Drama
• Methamphetamine Prevalence and Effects
• Motivational Interviewing
• Narcan Education
• Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR Suicide Training)
• Restoring Offenders to Productive Citizens
• Safe Zone Training
• Sexting, Deviant or Developmental
• Signs of Impairment
• Staff Burnout and Retention
• Youth Suicide Prevention for Trusted Adults

Cancellations: Full refunds for cancellations are available until June 1, 2022. Contact emorrison@mhrlk.org 

Who should attend?

• Educators

• Social Workers

• Community Members

• Business Owners

• Licensed Counselors

• Probation and Law Enforcement

• Scout Leaders

• Church Youth Directors

• Parents

• Nurses

FAQs

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

No.

Can I get a certificate of attendance at the community price?

No, Certificates are only issued at the CEU price. We want to remove as many barriers as possible for community members to learn about what's happening right here and in the medical field, however, if you are a professional who will need a certificate of attendance you will need to register at the CEU price. 

What is the refund policy?

Full refunds for cancellations are available until June 1, 2022. Contact the conference at emorrison@mhrlk.org.

The name on the registration/ticket doesn't match the attendee. Is that okay?

No, this conference offers professional development and continuing education credits. The name on the registration must match the registrant.

What continuing education credits have been applied for?

Continuing Education Credits will be applied for from the following boards:

• Ohio Chemical Dependency Board
• The State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
• The State Medical Board
• Safety Council External Training Credit applicable to rebate eligibility

If you have questions about the CEUs being offered please email emorrison@mhrlk.org.