Informed Consent Winter 2017-2018

Q U A R T E R L Y N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E C O N N E C T I C U T

C E R T I F I C A T I O N B O A R D , I N C .

Volume 1, Number 4

Protecting the public by enhancing recovery oriented workforce development

98 South Turnpike Road, Suite D - Wallingford, CT 06492

203.284.8800 - 203.284.9500 (Fax)

www.ctcertboard.org

The CCB Luis Marcano Learning Center In October, 2017, the Connecticut Certification Board acquired space in a

renovated factory in Hartford to re-open the Luis Marcano Learning Center. Built in 1922, the Tudor Revival-style building served as headquarters for the Fuller Brush Company. Already home to multiple businesses, this historic building is

located at the uppermost part of Main Street at the Windsor town line. The CCB will use the newly renovated and intimate space for trainings, workshops and

events for up to 25 people. The Center is named to honor the memory and numerous contributions of the late Luis Marcano, who, during the course of his

distinguished career, dedicated so much of his time, energy and passion to assisting countless people in their pursuit of professional development as certified

and degreed professionals, and even more on their road to recovery. Luis was a

teacher to many and a friend to all. May his dedication and service inspire us all. A plaque memorializing him hangs in the space today.

The Center is located at 3580 Main Street, Hartford in Building 2, Suite H. It is easily accessible from Exit 34 on I-91, with plenty of free, on-site parking. The

building also houses a small café, serving breakfast and lunch daily. The CCB is proud to be a small part of the revitalization of this north end

community.

SEE PAGE 2 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

See comments on the reality of declaration of a national

public health emergency for the opioid epidemic published

in New York Daily News from CCB Federal Policy Liaison

Andrew Kessler, J.D.

PAGE 4

In order to increase availability of CCB offered or sponsored training events, we have

secured additional office space in Hartford in the old Fuller Brush factory in the Northeast

neighborhood of the city for the new Luis Marcano Learning Center. This will allow us

significant flexibility in planning and meeting the often tight schedules of the training

professionals we contract with. As a benefit to those who wish to attend, we will have the

ability to keep registration fees at a reasonable level since we have minimized unforeseen

expenses that go along with short term space rental. Although the majority of our events

will be at the Luis Marcano Learning Center, we will still maintain a presence in other

parts of the state when needed, including the monthly Overview of the CCB Certification

Process, which will remain at the DMHAS Office of Workforce Development in Beers Hall

on the CVH campus in Middletown.

The CCB is committed to offering unique trainings not offered elsewhere. A catalog of

courses is being developed and will include multiple options on ethical practice, clinical

supervision, co-occurring disorders, family therapy, professional behavior, appropriate

documentation skills, and others. Join us as we bring in well known and highly rated

trainers like Mary K. O’Sullivan, John Hamilton, Tracy Eckert, Eileen Russo, Tom

Greaney, Dr. Jaquel Patterson and more.

We hope to see you in Hartford!

CO

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TO

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The mission of the CCB is clear: To protect the public by enhancing recovery-oriented workforce

development. We work for the clients, their

families and the general public to ensure that

those working in prevention, treatment and recov-

ery are properly prepared, act in accordance with

best practices and maintain ethical boundaries.

We perform those tasks through credentialing, by

offering training opportunities and conducting

ethics investigations.

We hold the expectation that candidates for

certification do their own planning, research and

documentation before submitting any application,

be it initial certification or renewal. Simply put,

we cannot and will not assume any of the

responsibilities that each candidate or certified

professional must do for themselves. It is not only

beyond our scope of practice, but it can put those

served in jeopardy.

This is often misunderstood by some professionals

who believe that the role of the CCB is to ensure

that they can become certified. In reality, our job

is to evaluate the training, supervision and work

experience of each candidate to ensure that they

meet the established standards, NOT to provide

specific assistance to meet those guidelines. This

includes finding training opportunities for

individuals, putting application materials

together for applicants and general management

of an individual’s path to certification.

In a parallel process to recovery, we hold firmly

that there are multiple pathways to achieve

certification and not a single best way to meet all

the standards. Each person, along with their

supervisor, needs to determine what is best for

them according to their own professional

development goals. As you ask those you serve to

do their own work towards a life in recovery, we

ask the same of you-no more and no less.

We do make several resources available to

certified professionals and candidates, including a

list of CCB approved providers (groups whose

trainings have been vetted and meet the high

standards of the CCB), free certification overview

courses and coaching sessions to help remove

obstacles from the process, exam prep materials

as well as courses and unique training events that

we conduct or sponsor. This information, as well

as all credentialing applications (that include the

standards for each) is readily available on our

website for all. We ask that individuals look on

our website for what they need BEFORE

contacting us. The communities that we serve

here in Connecticut demand self-motivated and

well prepared professionals. In addition to all else,

we are role models of life in the community for

those we serve. We cannot expect others to want

to work so very hard to make changes to better

their own lives if we don’t do the work we need to

do for ourselves.

I can gratefully say that this does not apply to an

overwhelming majority of certified professionals

and candidates in our state, but the trend is on

the rise. My hope is that this simple awareness

leads us to holding ourselves and each other

accountable. As I have said many times before, I

have the luxury of learning about the SUD

workforce in other states, and I am committed to

keeping Connecticut among the leaders.

Executive Director’s Blog: Behind the Scenes

Old Saybrook, Connecticut native and University of Hartford alumnus Vin Baker joins us to tell of his rise to the height of NBA stardom, his fall from that pedestal and his story of recovery and redemption through a focus on what is important to him. This is not to be missed. Autographed copies of his book

“God and Starbucks” will be available for purchase at the event.

Nomination forms for the David Powell Lifetime of Service and Young Professional Awards will be available online in January 2018.

Plus special guest host Scott Gorman, CIP, CPRS

Former Interventionist and Recovery Coach Consultant to the National

Football League Players’ Association

Opioid experts say Trump’s plan for fighting drug epidemic is vague, just ‘a first step’ Denis Slattery, Staff Reporter

President Trump’s declaration of the opioid crisis as a nationwide public health emergency

on Thursday and his promises to combat the worst drug epidemic in history got mixed

reviews from opioid experts.

“The President’s speech was overall short on specifics,” said Paul Hanly, a partner with

Simmons Hanly Conroy, which has sued several pharmaceutical companies over aggressive

and fraudulent marketing of prescription opium-like painkillers. “There was a vagueness

about what he was saying.” Hanly said he was optimistic about Trump’s promise to

prosecute “bad actors” and pursue prescribers and opioid manufacturers. But, he cautioned,

nothing is being done to stem the flow of cash from pharmaceutical companies to Congress.

Others said Trump’s declaration fell short of his promises. “It’s a first step, but if we’re really

serious about this - momentum really has to build from here,” said Andrew Kessler, who runs

Slingshot Solutions, a consulting firm that specializes in substance abuse policy. Kessler

suggested the declaration has no teeth, due to the fact that no funding is going to be made

available to implement emergency protocols. “We need to be in it for the long haul,” he said.

By not declaring a national emergency, Trump ensured that the fight against opioid

addiction will remain underfunded, Kessler said. “The route the President chose to take is

what’s been used in the past for disease emergencies, so it’s not surprising they went in that

the direction,” he said. The longer fight will be keeping the public aware of the issue, training

medical professionals and keeping Medicaid funded, Kessler added.

Dr. Indra Cidambi, the medical director at the Center for Network Therapy in Middlesex,

N.J., and vice president of the New Jersey Society of Addiction Medicine, praised the

President’s decision to address addiction but said the steps outlined fall short of what’s

needed to end the epidemic. “When you go through the proposals there are a lot of things it

won’t do,” Cidambi said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/trump-plan-fighting-opioid-epidemic-mixed-reviews-article-

1.3592092

Congratulations to Andrew Kessler, JD, for his recent

contributions to several national media outlets

regarding policies related to the national opioid

epidemic. He has been a source of information to the

New York Daily News, Politico, The Hill, ABC News,

the Associated Press.

Andrew represents the CCB on Capitol Hill and

beyond as our Federal Policy Liaison. He chooses to

work with us because the CCB is the authority on

issues related to the MAT workforce and our expertise

is unequalled on the national level.

Many of you heard Andrew present at our 4th Annual

Awards Dinner last May.

“Legislation without funding is a

hallucination.”

U.S. Senator Edward Markey (MA)

NEW YORK NEW YORK

CCB Sponsored and Approved Trainings:

Best practices, better practice

Need hours for initial certification or renewal? Check out our CCB Approved Training Providers page on the CCB website: https://www.ctcertboard.org/approved-training-providers

The New England Addiction Technology Transfer Center at Brown University Introduces

their

REDESIGNED DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM

The New England ATTC, in partnership with Brown University, has a state-of-the-

art Distance Learning Program (DLP) designed to offer addiction-related treatment,

prevention and recovery courses that can be accessed at a time, that is convenient for the

learner, and are geared to practitioners at all levels . This innovative system enables

learners as well as agencies to select either instructor-led or self-directed courses tracked

through an individualized training plan.

Currently there is a small library of courses and updated offerings will be added continually.

Stay connected to news related to the DLP as our course offerings continue to grow

by joining our listserv today.

(Sponsored Content)

New England Institute of Addiction Studies June 4-7, 2018

Worcester State University, MA

New England School of Best Practices in Addiction Treatment August 27-30, 2018

Waterville Valley, NH www.neias.org

Need Information? Start At Our Website The answers to most commonly asked questions can almost always be found on our

website (As a matter of fact, most calls to the CCB for information relate directly to

what is on the website). Save time and go to www.ctcertboard.org to see:

Credential applications and standards * Secure payments through PayPal * Ethics guides and forms * Verification of credentials * News updates * Job postings *

Training opportunities * Exam preparation materials and information

www.ctcertboard.org

Friends of the CCB Sara Howe (far right) and Greg Williams (center) during the taping of a Dr. Oz show

focusing on an investigation of shady treatment centers that are preying on individuals at their most vulnerable stage. Sara is the Public Policy Chair of the National Council for Behavioral Health and the Executive Director of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health. She relies on the CCB to offer

MAT-specific workshops and trainings to professionals in Chicagoland and St. Louis, MO.

Greg, a native of Danbury, is the founder of Facing Addiction and the filmmaker behind The Anonymous

People and Generation Found.

The episode aired Wednesday, November 8 at 4:00 p.m. on WFSB

For a Digital Exclusive from Sara, also produced by the Dr. Oz show, click on How to Find a Reputable Addiction Treatment Provider or go to the Dr. Oz

website.

The Doctor Oz Show Tackles “Rogue” Addiction Treatment Providers

Wednesday, December 6 | 1–2 p.m. Eastern Time The Impact of Homelessness and Unstable Housing

on Provider Services Webinar Series, Part 3 of 3 This final webinar in the Recovery to Practice series

on Homelessness and Unstable Housing explores how strong communication and collaboration

between housing programs and behavioral health practitioners can positively impact engagement

and recovery outcomes. Participants will learn the advantages of developing partnerships among

housing services and behavioral and primary

health providers, ways to overcome common challenges with partnerships between housing and

clinical teams, and strategies to strengthen and enrich collaboration.

Register for National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week Prevention partners are invited to participate in

National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. This week-long health observance is

an opportunity for teens to learn the facts about drug and alcohol abuse and addiction from

scientists and other experts. Organize and promote an educational event or activity for teens during

the week of January 22–28, 2018.

For more information:

Download the NDAFW Info Sheet

Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) Eligibility Update

At the meeting held on November 9, 2017, the Board of Directors of the

CCB voted in favor of expanding the eligibility of professionals

interested in the supervisory-only level certification available through

any credentialing body in our field, the Certified Clinical Supervisor

(CCS) credential. The CCS is a reciprocal credential through the CCB

and IC&RC, with portability to 38 other jurisdictions (and counting).

The new eligibility requirements have always included those who have

held the CAC or CCDP/CCDP-D for over one year, but have now been

expanded to professionals holding a master’s level license that includes

the LADC, LCSW, LPC, and LMFT. The effective date is December 1.

Overview of the Certification Process Training

This certification overview course is often the first bit of contact people have with the CCB,

and with good reason. It outlines, from beginning to end, the process of becoming

credentialed with the CCB. It is a required course for those seeking the CIT credential and

is offered monthly, thanks to the assistance of the DMHAS Office of Workforce Development.

Pre-registration is required and walk-ins cannot be accepted due to space limitations. A

no-show may restrict your ability to register for other free trainings offered by the CCB.

Information on available dates is located on the CCB website. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS

IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE LICENSING PROCESS

(LADC) IN CONNECTICUT. Any information on licensure must come directly from the

Department of Public Health Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section.

Individual Coaching Sessions

Coaching sessions are designed to work with individual candidates to provide technical

assistance around specific workforce development and certification goals. These sessions are

intended for individuals that have completed a certification process course and have specific

questions about the certification process and application submission standards. Attendees

are expected to bring all applicable application materials for review to the session. This

opportunity to meet with a CCB staff member one-on-one is not intended for general

credentialing questions or an overall review of standards.

CREDENTIALING INFORMATION

Remembering Jim Gillen

Recovery Advocate On what would be his 64th birthday

b. December 26, 1953 Brooklyn, N.Y

d. July 17, 2015 West Warwick, RI

The most loyal NY Knicks fan ever born.

Board certification is used to determine whether individuals are knowledgeable enough in a given occupational area to be

labeled "competent to practice" in that area.

Are there differences between the LADC (Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor)

and the CAC (Certified Addiction Counselor)? What are they?

There are significant differences in the CAC and the LADC, most notably in who

develops and administers each, and the purposes that they serve:

1. The LADC is administered by the State of Connecticut Department of Public

Health and is covered by a state statute in terms of requirements. In short, the

State Senate and House of Representatives make the final determination of

the standards based on input from several sources, including DPH themselves,

and constituents who reach out to their legislators’ offices. The LADC serves as

permission to practice in the State of Connecticut and is most commonly

associated with billing.

2. The CAC is administered by the Connecticut Certification Board, a non-profit

agency that is part of an international network of boards known as the

International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). The IC&RC

develops and maintain credentials by using both national and international

subject matter experts to determine not only the competencies required in

order hold the credential, but also the specific knowledge and skill factors that

make up each competency. The process occurs under the watchful eye of a

psychometrician to ensure that the knowledge and skill factors are an accurate

representation of the changes in the field that occur, but also that the process

and credential are defensible in case of a legal challenge. In short, the CAC is

verification of your competency in working with clients with SUDs based upon

the most relevant information in the field, with reciprocity available to most

other states and several international jurisdictions.

Each credential has its own application process and requirements. We certainly

consider a professional holding both credentials to be the “gold standard” in the

field, but it is up to the individual to determine which path is best for their needs.

Remember, you are not simply certified, you are Board Certified.

Most Commonly Asked Questions

Addiction/Recovery As A Family Tradition? William White

The intergenerational transmission of addiction and related problems has been documented for more than two centuries. Put simp-ly, the children of alcohol and other drug (AOD) dependent parents are at increased risk of developing such problems, even when raised in alternative environments. Risks are amplified when combined with other factors, e.g., adverse childhood experiences, early age of onset of

drug use, co-occurring medical or psychiatric disorders, enmeshment in drug-saturated social environments, and limited problem-solving assets.

In earlier publications, my co-authors and I have addressed the sources of such risks as well as potential strategies for breaking intergenerational cycles. The challenge we faced in proposing potential solutions is linked to a much larger issue. The AOD research establishment has historically focused on illuminating the psychopharmacology of intoxicating substances, cataloguing the pathologies of acute and chronic drug consumption, and describing and evaluating the short-term effects of educational or clinical interventions designed to alter the course of substance use and substance use disorders (SUD). Absent from this research agenda have been rigorous studies to elucidate the prevalence, pathways, styles, and stages of long-term person-al and family recovery across cultural contexts. Without such a recovery research agenda, some of the most important questions facing individuals, families, and communities remain both unasked and unanswered.

If, for example, we followed a large community and clinical sample of parents meeting diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD) and examined the prevalence of AOD use, risky use, and SUD among their children, what would we discover with regard to the following five questions?

1. Does recovery of a parent reduce the likelihood of that parent’s children developing a SUD compared to parents who have not achieved recovery? 2. Does parental recovery increase the likelihood of recovery for any of their children who experience a SUD compared to children of parents who have not achieved remission? 3. Does parental involvement in professionally-directed addiction treatment or a recovery mutual aid group affect the intergenerational transmission of SUDs and the recovery prognosis of their children? 4. Does the participation of a child in his or her parent’s addiction treatment or in a family-focused peer recovery support group affect that child’s future vulnerability for experiencing or recovering from a SUD? 5. For parents who have experienced a SUD, are there parental actions associated with lower SUD risks for their children?

These are not obscure academic questions—the addictionologist’s equivalent of how many brain cells can dance on the head of a pin. They are instead questions of enormous concern to every parent who has experienced an alcohol or other drug problem and to every parent in recovery. It is time, no, past time, for such questions to be answered. If even partial answers to these questions are available, why have they not been wide-ly disseminated to those most directly affected? Is anyone at the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Na-tional Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism listening?

Apparently so. McCutcheon and colleagues have just published a NIAAA/NIDA-funded study in the renowned journal, Addiction, that is among the first to explore the questions raised above. The study examined whether the odds of remission from an alcohol use disorder (AUD) increased depending on the existence of relatives in AUD remission. The likelihood of remission was more than three times greater for those related to someone in AUD remission compared to those related to someone with persistent AUD. What remains unclear is whether this remission advantage is a function of heritable traits that increase remission probabilities (i.e., a form of biological recovery capital) or whether this advantage springs from social contagion (e.g., the influence of one family member in recovery upon another family member in need of recovery.) This is the most definitive report to date on the intergenerational transmission of increased odds of recovery from addiction. We have long known that the risk of addiction runs in families; there is now preliminary evidence that this is also true of addiction recovery. Future research may illuminate how the odds of transmitting such resilience may be increased.

Retrieved on November 17, 2017 from https://facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/news-events/blog.html/article/2017/11/17/addiction-recovery-as-a-family-tradition-

To see the full Hank Williams, Jr. video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ji_byLzeBk

When that doctor asked me, ‘Son, how did you get in this condition?’

I said, ‘Hey sawbones, I’m just carrying on an ole family tradition.’

–Hank Williams, Jr., Song Lyric, Family Tradition.

IMPORTANT! Please make sure to inform the CCB of any changes to your mailing

address, telephone number, employment information and email address

to ensure that you receive updates and information in a timely manner.

If we can’t reach you, we can’t keep you informed. Thanks!

Email changes to info@ctcertboard.org

B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s

The Board of Directors of the CCB are industry leaders in the state of Connecticut and, in

some cases, at the national level. They represent various agencies throughout the state and

have experience working with many different vulnerable populations that our certified

professionals serve. Many choose to serve on the Board even in light of their many other

commitments and provide the guidance that allows us to operate at a high level. A special

“Thank you” to the following who volunteer their time and efforts to represent the

Connecticut workforce.

E x e c u t i v e C o m m i t t e e

David Borzellino, Farrell Treatment Center, New Britain, President Jay Cummings, Private Practice Clinician, Manchester, Vice President

Marlene DeSantis, Liberation Programs, Norwalk, Treasurer Dr. Sandra Valente, NVCC, Waterbury, Secretary

D i r e c t o r s

Erica Cannata, APT Foundation, New Haven Christina Cipriani, Hartford Dispensary, Manchester

Fred Fetta, DMHAS Problem Gambling Services, Middletown Denise Keane, Perception Programs, Willimantic

Steven Randazzo, Aware Recovery Care, North Haven Amy Sedgwick, Mountainside, Canaan

Louis Velotti, DMHAS (Retired)

We look forward to new additions to the Board of Directors in the coming months

Additional CCB Services for Available to Professionals and Agencies

In addition to credentialing, the Connecticut Certification Board has expertise in several other areas

and provides many different services designed to assist in the development of a skilled and

competent workforce. To that end, we collaborate with individuals as well as for profit, not-for-profit

and even governmental agencies in furtherance of their prevention, treatment and recovery

workforce needs.

Services include:

We have a network of 1500 professionals on our mailing list that want to know what is happening in

the field. Your information will be seen by the audience you are trying to reach. To find out how we

can help, contact Executive Director Jeffrey Quamme directly. Let our expertise help you go even

further.

Specialized Training Events Staff Development Consultation

Credential Readiness Review Examination Prep/Study

Job Postings Ethics Consultation

Let us also advertise your

Events and Fundraisers Agency Announcements

CCB’s International Reach The CCB is a proud member of the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium, a

network of over 50,000 professionals and 78 member boards that cover the globe. The

IC&RC is recognized as a global resource that promotes public protection by offering

internationally-recognized credentials and examinations for prevention, substance use

disorder treatment and recovery professionals.

www.internationalcredentialing.org

LEADERSHIP David Turpin (NC), President Donna Johnson (GA), Vice President

Jeffrey Quamme (CT), Secretary Mark Attanasi, (OK), Treasurer

Jessica Hayes (IL), Administrator’s Representative

Mary Jo Mather, Executive Director

Rachel Witmer, Assistant Director

IC&RC promotes public protection by offering internationally-recognized

credentials and examinations for prevention, substance use treatment,

and re-Member Boards

IC&RC standards and

exams are used

exclusively by IC&RC

Boards. Each Board is

independently run and

operated with their

own jurisdictionally

specific processes. If

you want to take an

exam or earn a

credential, contact the

board in your

jurisdiction.

Public Protection

IC&RC promotes

public protection by

setting standards and

developing exams for

credentialing

prevention, substance

use treatment, and

recovery professionals.

Organized in 1981, it

has a worldwide

network of over 50,000

professionals.

Evidence-Based Practices

Quality and integrity

are the foundation of

IC&RC’s work.

IC&RC’s products use

the latest research on

evidence-based

practices, and they are

updated every five

years and subjected to

an extensive process of

peer review.

IC&RC Reciprocal credentials offered by the CCB include the Certified Addiction Counselor, Certified Clinical Supervisor, Certified Prevention Specialist and Certified Peer Recovery

Specialist credentials. Information on reciprocity to other jurisdictions can be found on the IC&RC website, internationalcredentialing.org

At times, member boards of the IC&RC, including us, as asked to nominate subject matter experts from our jurisdiction to volunteer as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and item writers for the

reviewing and updating of IC&RC credentials. If you would like more information on this process or wish to be considered for nomination, please email Jeff at JQuamme@ctcertboard.org.

Serving as an SME or item writer is a rigorous and detailed process, so only serious candidates

need respond.

CCB Advertising Rates

Website

Job postings

$50/ $25 /$20

First posting/each additional/

Each additional Month

Events/Advertisements

(in rotating banner)

$100/$50

First month/ Each additional

1/4 Page $100

Half Page $150

Full Page $250

Newsletter (Quarterly)

We can also provide with custom packages depending upon your needs,

including email notifications and mailing list information for our

nearly 1500 subscribers that you want to reach. Contact jeff for

details. Spread your message!

Remember, you represent not only yourself, but your

agency, our Connecticut system of care and the profession

as a whole. Professionalism

Matters

Due to the popularity of the CAC/LADC EXAM PREP course, it will continued to be offered on a quarterly basis. Check

our website for details.