The University of Maine System Injury Prevention and Substance Use Disorder Research Collaboratives invite you to the first of three webinars in our Spring Webinar Series. The first webinar will take place on April 13 at 11 on the topic of Rural Health and Access to Care, with a focus on Substance Use Disorders.
To attend, register here:
For any questions regarding the Spring Webinar Series, please contact Jamie Wren jamie.a.wren@maine.edu or Rachel Gallo at rachel.gallo@maine.edu.
Dr. Jennifer Blossom (University of Maine) will present “Improving Access in Youth Mental Health: Reframing Investigation to Realize a Public Health Impact”. Dr. Katherine Darling (University of Maine, Augusta) and UMaine PhD student Colleen Coffey will present “Criminalization of Substance Use and Education as an Equitable Solution”. Additional details about their presentations are below.
Presentation 1: Improving access in youth mental health: Reframing investigation to realize a public health impact (Dr. Jennifer Blossom)
An overwhelming majority of youth with mental health problems never receive mental health services, an existing crisis that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Youth and families who live in rural and remote areas face unique challenges when attempting to engage in mental health care. Traditional mental health service delivery and psychological intervention research fail to adequately address this issue; a paradigm shift is necessary to improve the reach, utility, and efficiency of youth mental health services. Jennifer Blossom, Ph.D’s research evaluates the effectiveness and implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) with the ultimate goal of realizing a public health impact of EBIs for common youth mental health concerns. Specific lines of inquiry target long-standing and often poorly supported notions about EBIs and mental health service delivery. In her talk, Blossom will provide an overview of ongoing research projects and future directions.
Presentation 2: Criminalization of Substance Use and Education as an Equitable Solution (Dr. Katherine Weatherford Darling and Ph.D. Candidate Colleen S. Coffey)
Dr. Katherine Weatherford Darling and doctoral student Colleen Coffey will discuss the prevalence of substance use as it intersects with the criminal justice system on our campuses. They will reveal results of a recent justice impact campus climate survey as well as highlight several grant-funded research projects on developing prison education partnerships across the state.
