CAHS Executive Director Jan Laughinghouse, PhD, LCSW-BACS, LAC, CCS, was a panelist at the Expanding Recovery Pathways Summit, held Aug. 27 at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge.
Dr. Laughinghouse outlined various harm reduction strategies, including crisis intervention and community outreach, that are essential elements to support individuals who face addiction and mental health challenges. She drew on her years of experience as a licensed addiction counselor to talk about the science of addiction and the recovery process.
Dr. Laughinghouse also described comprehensive prevention and addiction recovery services, offered by CAHS, that range from inpatient recovery at Capital Area Recovery Program (CARP) to intensive outpatient therapy at several CAHS clinics.
CAHS Prevention Coordinators Alicia Richbourg, PSIT, and Ricki Davis (pictured above) also attended the event, which included information about Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) / Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD).
Advances in medicine have led to medications with greater efficacy and fewer side effects. Various presenters at the event detailed the critical role the medications play in stabilizing individuals in recovery, reducing the risk of overdose, and improving overall quality of life.
The event also included discussions about other harm reduction strategies that include syringe exchange programs and distribution of naloxone (Narcan), the medication that reverses the deadly effects of opioid overdoses.
Presenters from various agencies and outreach programs shared success stories from communities where these strategies have been implemented, have reduced harm to individuals, and have saved lives. The sessions also highlighted efforts to make treatment more accessible, particularly in underserved areas, and to reduce the stigma associated with MAT / MOUD.
“The information presented by Dr. Laughinghouse and other experts help inform our community about advances in the addiction recovery field and how we can all be more effective in our daily efforts,” said Richbourg.