OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Nov 11 (MARKET WIRE) --
The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) is pleased to announce that
over 100 experts in the field of substance abuse will present to an
audience of more than 500 attendees at this year's Issues of Substance
(IOS) conference next week, November 15-18, at the World Trade and
Convention Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
IOS is Canada's biennial national conference that provides those working
in the field of substance abuse the opportunity to exchange knowledge,
identify areas of collaboration and discuss the role of policy,
prevention and treatment in the ongoing effort to reduce the harms
associated with substance abuse.
Taking place during Canada's National Addiction Awareness Week (Nov.
15-21), the theme of this year's IOS conference is Pathways and Bridges
to Change. Inspired from the National Treatment Strategy-which was
released in November of 2008-IOS is focused on exploring the different
pathways to change that individuals with substance abuse issues can
pursue and the system bridges that need to be built to create a tiered,
continuum-of-care treatment model that integrates addiction treatment,
social services, housing, and educational systems.
"IOS is an opportunity for Canada to take measure of the state of
substance abuse in our nation-to discuss openly, frankly and from
multiple viewpoints what strategies are working, the challenges we face
moving forward, and how we can best collaborate to overcome those
challenges," said Michel Perron, CEO of CCSA.
Over the four-day conference, program highlights at IOS include:
- Opening plenary session by Annette Dale-Perera, Strategic Director of
Addictions and Offender Care Directorate for Central and NW London NHS
Foundation Trust, who will present on England's experiences with
implementing national drug and alcohol frameworks
- Plenary session by Dr. Franco J Vaccarino, PhD, Vice-President and
Principal at the University of Toronto, who will present on the
implications of neuroscience research on treatment strategies
- David Archibald Lecture Series, a panel discussion that will explore
the role of industry in activities that address alcohol-related harms and
the different viewpoints on how public health, government and industry
can work together in this regard
- Closing plenary session by Christopher Kennedy Lawford, nephew of John
F. Kennedy and son of actor Peter Lawford, member of the California
Public Health Advisory Committee and author of Moments of Clarity, a New
York Times bestseller that looks at the spiritual epiphanies that enable
people to move from addictions to recovery
Issues of Substance 2009 is hosted by CCSA in partnership with the
Atlantic Canada Council on Addictions, Nova Scotia Department of Health
Promotion and Protection and the Canadian Executive Council on
Addictions. CCSA would also like to thank a number of key partners and
sponsors who have made IOS 2009 possible, including:
- Educ'alcool
- Mental Health Commission of Canada
- Brewers Association of Canada
- Spirits Canada
- Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre
- Centre for Addictions and Mental Health
- Paul Burke Training and Consulting Group
- MADD Canada
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
To learn more about IOS, view the full IOS program agenda or to register
to attend, please visit: www.issuesofsubstance.ca.
About CCSA:
With a legislated mandate to reduce alcohol- and other drug-related
harms, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse provides leadership on
national priorities, fosters knowledge-translation within the field, and
creates sustainable partnerships that maximize collective efforts. CCSA
receives funding support from Health Canada.
Contacts:
CCSA
Rob Mclean
Senior Media Relations Specialist
613-235-4048 ext. 255
rmclean@ccsa.ca
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