Zoom
In 2024, 84,334 Americans lost their lives to fatal overdoses, and the CDC reports more than 178,000 deaths due to excessive alcohol use in a single year. Yet, only one in four people with a substance use disorder (SUD) receives treatment, and even fewer have access to timely, high-quality, individualized support.
A well-trained and adequately staffed workforce is necessary to address our nation’s addiction epidemic, improve treatment outcomes, and prevent overdose deaths.
As the demand for SUD services continues to grow, states, service providers, payers, and communities must develop innovative solutions to recruit, retain, and sustain a workforce that meets the evolving needs of individuals, families, and communities impacted by addiction.
Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Time: 12 – 1:15 p.m. EST
Join us for an overview of the “Model Building the Substance Use Disorder Workforce of the Future Act,” a comprehensive template for states to develop and implement a strategy to grow the SUD workforce, followed by an engaging discussion on the following topics:
- The current state of the behavioral health workforce in the U.S. and key challenges
- Opportunities for states to build a workforce that can effectively support individuals with SUD
- Best practices to enhance recruitment, retention, and quality of care
- Strategies to strengthen and support the growing peer recovery and harm reduction workforce
Speakers:
- Deirdre Calvert, MSW, LICSW, Director, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- Sarah Kelsey, J.D., CEO, Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association
- Donald McDonald, MSW, RCP, Technical Expert Lead, JBS International
- Terrence D. Walton, MSW, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals
- Shelly Weizman, J.D., Associate Director, Center on Addiction and& Public Policy, O’Neill Institute, Georgetown University Law Center